The Hindu : Front Page : Threat delays departure of Indian cricket team

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 06, 2004

Front Page

Front Page

Threat delays departure of Indian cricket team

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, DEC. 5. The Centre today decided to send a team of security personnel to Dhaka to check out the security arrangements made for the Indian cricket team due to begin a tour of Bangladesh.

The decision was taken by the External Affairs Ministry in consultation with the Home Ministry after an Islamic group in Bangladesh — supposedly the Harkat-ul-Jehad — today threatened the team with "dire consequences" if it visited the country. The threat was delivered in the form of a letter to the Indian High Commission in Dhaka.

The first match between the two countries was scheduled to take place on December 9, with the team scheduled to leave for Dhaka on December 7. But now clearance for the visit would have to await the report of the security team.

The External Affairs Ministry spokesperson today said: "The Ministry is making an assessment of the threat received in consultation with other agencies." In this connection, the Ministry "welcomed the categorical assurance given by the Bangladesh Government that no effort would be spared to provide the fullest security to the visiting Indian cricket team." The spokesperson said the Ministry was coordinating the visit to Bangladesh of a "high-level security team, which would liaise with the Bangladesh authorities, in order to assess the situation on the ground and to recommend any specific steps that may be required to be taken."

Official sources confirmed that the Indian High Commission in Dhaka had received the threatening letter.

BCCI to await advice

Vijay Lokapally writes:

The BCCI said today that it would be guided by the advice of the Government. "We have received a communication from the Government regarding the threat to the Indian team. The departure of the team will be delayed until the clearance," the BCCI president, Ranbir Singh Mahendra, said today.

Our Thiruvananthapuram Special Correspondent reports:

The BCCI secretary, S. Karunakaran Nair, said: "We have been told by the Sports Ministry to put on hold the tour until further notice in view of the security threat. Accordingly, we have decided to put off the departure of the team to Dhaka to December 8."

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