Threat pushes DC games to Cuttack
Hyderabad/Mumbai/Delhi, Feb. 16: Responding to the threat to withdraw from the third edition of the Indian Premier League, the IPL governing council on Tuesday granted two matches to Deccan Chargers in their catchment area of Cuttack with promises of
holding a couple of matches later if the intelligence reports clear Hyderabad as a venue.
Besides the current agitations and mood in the state, Hyderabad has always been the hub of several sleeper cells and terror modules of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Tayyaba and Bangladesh-based Harkat-ul Jihad al-Islami, evident from the recent arrests of a few, including Shaik Khaja, alias Amjad, who heads terror operations in South India.
Al Qaeda’s Ilyas Kashmiri too has issued a terror threat to IPL, it is learnt. Kashmiri is said to have connections with Hyderabad-based terror suspects, according to confessions of the accused. Around 21 terror suspects, including Naji, are still absconding. Naji, who had crossed the border, is said to be in Hyderabad.
Anti-terror intelligence agencies warn that there is a serious terror threat to the city from the absconding suspects, with their handlers based in Karachi. Sources caution that terror groups may take advantage of the diverted police attention due to the ongoing agitations and strike at key public functions, national and international events, like IPL, and vital installations.
Sources in the Union home ministry too perceive a terror threat to Hyderabad. "Confirmed inputs reveal that a large number of Indian Mujahideen militants of the south zone module are still active in Hyderabad," they said. Reports also suggest that IM modules of Pune and Bengaluru are in touch with their links in Hyderabad. Maharashtra has already turned into a fortress because of the Shiv Sena and terror threats and it is felt that it would be prudent to play where security is already tight.
The Chargers have agreed to forgo matches in Hyderabad in view of public safety. "The matches have been moved out of Hyderabad owing to the security situation," Board of Control for Cricket in India president Shashank Manohar said on Tuesday.
According to the revised schedule, the defending champions will play Kings XI Punjab in Cuttack on March 19 and the Delhi Daredevils two days later at the same venue. Two games, including the inaugural, will be played in Mumbai while Nagpur will host three of the Chargers’ matches.
"The revised IPL schedule has been worked out keeping in mind the catchment area of the Deccan Chargers. The solution was worked out keeping in mind the sentiments of the cricket-loving fans of the franchise. I hope that Deccan Chargers’ fans will come out in large numbers to support their team at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack," IPL commissioner Lalit Modi said.
"DC will not pull out of IPL-3," Deccan Chargers’ director of operations E. Venkatram Reddy said. "We are working together with the IPL to ensure the success of the third edition of the tournament. We have been reassured by the IPL commissioner that our interests will be protected."
Age Correspondents
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