Chappell, players under security blanket in Kolkata

Kolkata -- The assault on Indian cricket team coach Greg Chappell still fresh in the mind, the West Bengal government is not taking chances in throwing a foolproof security ring around him and the teams for the India-Sri Lanka ODI at the Eden Gardens here Friday.

"A foolproof security arrangement has been made for Chappell. We don't want to take any chance," state Home Secretary P.R. Roy told reporters here at the state secretariat Writers' Buildings.

Police commissioner Prasun Mukherjee, who is also the Cricket Association of Bengal president, is personally supervising security arrangements for the players, officials and other guests.

There was heavy police deployment at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport where the Indian players and the coach arrived in batches and were whisked away to the team hotel in south Kolkata.

The Sri Lankan team arrived in the afternoon and was taken to a separate hotel. A large number of security personnel lined the route from the airport to the team hotels.

The security was so strict that even media personnel were kept outside the hotel.

The ground was dotted with policemen and security gadgets were placed at every nook and corner.

Chappell was assaulted Jan 22 at the Biju Patnaik Airport in Bhubaneswar by a Kalinga Sena activist protesting against the non-inclusion of Oriya players in the Indian team.