Tight security for National Games

Guwahati, Feb 8 (UNI) Threat of insurgency stares the organisers of the National Games even as banned ULFA withdrew the call for boycott of the sporting event, being held here for the first time.

''ULFA is not the only militant group active in the state, there are other groups too. So there is no question of taking any chance as far as Games security is concerned, '' said a senior official in the National Games Secretariat here.

The Army has been asked to keep vigil along the periphery of Guwahati to foil possible penetration bid by the ultras into the city during the Games commencing here tomorrow. UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi will kick off the event in a colourful opening ceremony tomorrow afternoon at the main stadium named after former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

A senior police official informed that though the Army wouldn't be deployed in and around any of the National Games venues here, the men in olive would be busy keeping round the clock vigil just outside the state's capital city.

The Central government had provided the state with 20 additional companies of paramilitary force personnel to keep vigil on Games venues, which had been made out of bounds for anyone with out a valid entry pass. The Games Village where the players and officials from outside would be hosted had been fortified with massive deployment of security personnel. Even the media persons had not been provided with permission to enter the Games village.

The players and officials coming from outside to take part in the event had been asked to move in groups for security reasons. The outside participants were being provided security escort to the Games Village immediately after their arrival in the city.

UNI