Anxious Ahmedabad cops won't let team England out of hotel

Players of the English cricket team, who arrived in the city for matches, have put the local police in a fix by demanding to visit nearby clubs and other places. Since their security is clearly a priority for cops at present, officials of Satellite police have disallowed them from venturing out in separate groups. Cops claim that it would be difficult for them to provide individual security. 

The England team landed in Ahmedabad on Tuesday. They were given accommodation at Courtyard Marriott hotel in Satellite. Starting Thursday, the English team will play a tour match with a local team and then a test match with Indian team between October 15 and 19. 

Ever since their arrival, officials of Satellite police station have secured the hotel premises to avoid any unwarranted situation.

Just when the police officials heaved a sigh of relief on the safe arrival of the team at the hotel, a senior cop of Satellite received a message from some of the players who expressed a desire to visit some nearby clubs, including Rajpath and Karnavati.

This wish left the Satellite police officials worried. “Security protocol doesn’t allow us to take them to any place without prior notice or permission. Moreover, some of them wanted to go to one club while others wanted to go to another,” said a senior police official.

According to him, it was not possible to entertain their demands, as the police department could not take the risk of taking the cricketers out or provide personal security. Police officials offered to allow them to go out as a team in their official bus. This arrangement, they claimed, would be easier for them to handle.

“But, how can we protect them individually? Who will be answerable if someone goes missing or is attacked outside?” said the cop. He drew the attention of the security manager of the cricket team to this demand. Even the manager reportedly rejected the demand of the English team and asked them to remain inside the hotel.