Reports say India squad to get commandos

Elite commandos are being flown to the Caribbean to provide security for the Indian team at the World Cup, media reports said on Friday.

Sixteen members of the National Security Guards (NSG), who look after VIP security in India, will cover the team during the 48-day tournament, the reports said.

Security officers have in the past carried out pre-tour checks in various countries where the Indian team was due to play, but this is the first time Indian commandos will be deployed to protect the players.

"The decision, taken early this week by the government, comes after a security assessment that terror groups could target the Indian team, which was followed by a formal request from the West Indies," said the Indian Express.

According to the newspaper, an Indian security assessment said "there were chances of terror groups targeting the tournament, particularly at venues where the Indian team is slated to play. The matter was taken up with the Caribbean authorities, who felt such elaborate security cover may not be possible without assistance."

The newspaper quoted government sources as saying that West Indian officials indicated they did not have the expertise to deal with such terror threats and urged India to help "as the Indian team was identified as a prime target."

The commandos will be located in Jamaica, where India play warm-up matches, and in Trinidad, where the team's preliminary matches will be held, the paper added. Meanwhile, the Indian board said it had not received any information about the government's decision to provide the NSG cover to the team. "Security issues are decided by the government taking into account the scenario at the venue. The BCCI had not made any specific request," BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla told PTI.

"Till now we have not received any intimation from the government. Past security issues in the West Indies could have prompted the government to ensure that the team is guarded well," Shukla added.

Two senior players, Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly, already have NSG cover in India following threats to their life from militant groups.