SAG security arrangements to include protection from air

Guwahati, Jan 27: An effective and comprehensive security cover, including air protection, has been laid out for the upcoming 12th South Asian Games to be held in Guwahati and Shillong from February 5 to 16.

There will be multi-layered security cover in all the venues with even protection from the air to be provided by the Air Force and the Army Air Defence Unit, a SAG communication said today.

Altogether 5,110 armed police personnel from the central force and Assam Police and 6,537 unarmed policemen of the state will be deployed in Guwahati to ensure that the Games are conducted smoothly and in a peaceful manner.

Adequate security measures have also been put in place and both armed and unarmed security personnel will be deployed in Shillong, the communication said. Though central forces will be part of the security arrangements, they will work under the overall control and command of the state police in both the states.

Security for the Games in Guwahati will be the responsibility of Assam police and in Shillong of Meghalaya police, it said. Stating that a foolproof security plan has already been prepared from the airport to the hotels and then to the venues, the routes along which the Games participants will move will be sanitised and escorts will be provided for each vehicle.

Police control rooms will be set up in hotels and there will be Quick Reaction Teams at vantage points at the entire city to prevent any untoward incident.

In addition, Army will also be on standby mode. On the security preparedness, Brig Abani Pait, Head of Security, said that "at the moment, we don't have any threat from any front. But we are not taking any chance.... We will ensure that all the participants and visitors go back to their homes with happy memories about Assam and Meghalaya."

Praising the efforts of Assam Police and Meghalaya police, Brig Pait said "the police of both the states are working very hard and we are confident that they will do a wonderful job."

PTI