Shiv Sena threatens pitch attack

Published October 9, 2006

NEW DELHI, Oct 8: A nationalist Hindu group on Sunday vowed to “go to any extent” to prevent the Pakistan cricket team from playing in the upcoming Champions Trophy tournament.

The New Delhi chapter of the right-wing Shiv Sena group said it would not allow Pakistan to play their first league match in the northern city of Mohali on October 25, citing the deadly train attacks in Mumbai in July.

“Shiv Sena will not allow Pakistan to play in India after the disclosures made by Mumbai police commissioner about the ISI’s involvement in the July 7, Mumbai serial blasts,” Sena’s Delhi chief Jai Bhagwan said in a statement.

Pakistan, one of 10 countries in the tournament, is slated to play against New Zealand in Mohali.

Bhagwan also warned New Delhi authorities against allowing Pakistan to play in the tournament.

“Otherwise our activists in Punjab (state) will be forced to go to any extent to stop the Pakistanis from playing on Indian soil,” the firebrand Sena chief said without elaborating.

India’s two national news agencies, the Press Trust of India and United News of India, reported that the Sena chief had threatened to dig up the Punjab Cricket Association stadium pitch in Mohali in northern Punjab state.

Two of Pakistan’s three league matches are in Mohali while the third is in Jaipur. The semi-finals will also be held in Mohali and Jaipur and the final will be staged in Mumbai on Nov 5.

The government said it would reinforce security at venues where Pakistan will play.

“Mohali could be a red herring and we are keeping a special eye on Jaipur as it is also a stronghold of the Bharatiya Janata Party,” an official told AFP.

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