New Delhi: Amid security concerns in Gwalior, the Bangladesh cricket team decided to skip their visit to the Moti Masjid in Gwalior. The visitors offered Friday prayers at the team hotel. Security measures have been stepped up in the city amid threats of a protest and call for a ‘Gwalior bandh’ on Sunday, October 06 when India are scheduled to take on Bangladesh in the 1st T20I of the three-match series at the Madhavrao Scindia Cricket Stadium.
The protest has been called by the right-wing groups in the city in protest against the alleged violence against Hindus in Bangladesh. Reports of Hindus being targeted in the country have emerged ever since the fall of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government in August. As per a report in PTI, the team was expected to visit the Moti Masjid in the city but they decided to stay back at their team hotel.
The mosque is only 3kms away from where the Bangladesh team are staying and elaborate security measures had been put in place to ensure they faced no difficulties in visiting the mosque and offering prayers. Arvind Saxena, Inspect General Gwalior Zone, informed that there was no call from any organisation to disrupt the Bangladesh team’s visit.
“We had made elaborate security arrangements around Moti Masjid but the Bangladesh team did not turn up. No organisation had given any call to disrupt their visit,” Saxena was quoted as saying by PTI.
The police official further reassured that there were no concerns from their end and that the Madhya Pradesh police had no issues in providing security for the Bangladesh team to the mosque which is a short distance. The Bangladesh team has been practising at the Madhavrao Scindia Cricket Stadium since Thursday. The stadium is around 23km from their team hotel but the team has faced no issues in travelling.
“Providing security to the visiting team over just 3 km was never an issue from our side,” the official added.
Huge police deployment across Gwalior for India-Bangladesh 1st T20I
The Madhya Pradesh police are leaving no stone unturned in ensuring all security measures are in place for the first T20I between India and Bangladesh on Sunday. A total of 2500 police officers are set to be deployed across the city on Sunday to ensure the game is conducted smoothly with no interference from any protestors or any organisation.
The Bangladesh team decided to skip their visit to the Moti Masjid in Gwalior and offer Friday prayers at their team hotel amid threat of protests in the city. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
