Hockey World Cup

The Hockey World Cup opens today in New Delhi, India, essentially on “red alert.” More than 50 heavily armed commando troops in full battle gear are stationed at the stadium entrance behind sandbag fortifications.

Indian security officials say ‘‘2000-plus’’ security personnel will be on site in response to terrorist threats, including rooftop sharpshooters, with thousands more specialists and air support on standby. Local media report that the number of on-site personnel could be closer to 5000.

Hockey World Cup

Event officials have created for security zones with security checkpoints at the entrance to each successive zone. Anyone who enters the ‘‘sanitized’’ inner security zone and the final ‘‘exclusion zone’’ will be undergo multiple searches and checks. More than 100 surveillance cameras have been installed in the stadium.

The Indian newspaper The Hindu described the security as ‘‘unimaginable’’.

The security measures have been taken as a precaution after alleged threats from a Pakistan-based group with links to al-Qaeda. ‘‘We are ready,’’ the officer said. ‘‘We have been here preparing for a week.’’

The Foreign Minister Stephen Smith will attend the Hockey World Cup game on March 2nd, and hopefully the event goes off without a hitch.