Greg Chappell manhandle case;DGP admits security lapses.

Bhubaneswar, Jan 24 (UNI) Orissa Director General of Police Amrananda Patnaik today admitted security lapses at the Biju Patnaik Airport on Monday last in which Team India Coach Greg Chappell was manhandled by a miscreant.

The DGP, who submitted his inquiry report on the incident as per the direction of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, also blamed the Central Industrial Security Force(CISF) in charge of Airport security for the incident.

Mr Pattnaik told the newsmen that he owned the moral responsibility for the security lapses and said, ''We will not allow such lapses in future.'' Team India coach Greg Chappell was allegedly manhandled by a miscreant on his arrival at the Biju Pattnaik Airport along with the Team India players despite heavy security arrangement.

Police later arrested the miscreant who identified himself as Biranchi Maharana, an activist of a local political outfit called Kalinga Sena.

The Chief Minister, who expressed shock over the incident, had asked the DGP to inquire the matter and take 'strong action' against the miscreant and those responsible for the incident.

Orissa Home Secretary T K Mishra said the government would study the report submitted by the DGP and take necessary action against those found guilty in the report. He said explanation would be called from the police officials in charge of security arrangement at the airport.

Mr Mishra, however, denied the press report that Mr Chappell was slapped by the miscreant at the Airport.It was only a minor scuffle that took place at the Airport, he remarked.

The BCCI and the Orissa Cricket Association had strongly condemned the shocking incident and asked the state government to take adequate protection measures for the safety of the India and West Indies players during the second ODI being played at the Barbati Stadium at Cuttack today.

UNI