Fears of terrorism and crimes force Indonesia to deploy 40,000 security personnel
>> JAKARTA: Indonesia will deploy tens of thousands of security personnel to prevent street crime and potential terrorist attacks during this month’s Asian Games, police said on Friday.
Some 40,000 troops and police officers will be deployed in the capital Jakarta and Palembang in Sumatra, which are co-hosting the Aug 18 to Sept 2 Games.
Another 10,000 police officers will be on standby in Jakarta, while hundreds of CCTV surveillance cameras have been installed inside and outside sports venues.
“Preparations are going well and we are ready to safeguard the Asian Games,” national police spokesman Yusri Yunus told AFP.
Security would be tightened at public places including airports, malls, hotels and tourist spots, he added.
Terrorism, street crime and Jakarta’s notorious traffic congestion are top priorities for the Games, national police chief Tito Karnavian said earlier this week.
Indonesia suffered its most deadly terror attack in more than 10 years in May when suicide bombers killed 13 people in the nation’s second-biggest city Surabaya.
Karnavian said 242 suspected terrorists have been arrested since the attack, which reignited concerns about Islamist militants in the Muslim-majority nation.
Police say they have been rounding up terror suspects and petty criminals in a pre-Games crackdown.
Some 700 street criminals have been arrested and 15 were shot dead for resisting arrest, according to police.
Earlier this week more than 500 elite members of the army, navy and air force conducted security drills in Jakarta.
More than 11,000 athletes from 45 countries are set to compete at the second-biggest multi-sport event behind the Olympics.
INDIAN FAILS DOPE TEST
India has suspended steeplechase runner Naveen Dagar after he failed a dope test in a crucial blow to the country’s medal hopes at this month’s Asian Games, an athletics source told
AFP on Friday.
Dagar, who won a bronze at the 2014 Asiad, tested positive for banned meldonium, the source close to the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) said.
The 30-year-old was tested during an inter-state competition in the northeastern city of Guwahati by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA).
“Yes, Dagar was suspended on July 23. Meldonium was found in his sample. Though a B Sample report is awaited,” the source said.
“It is disappointing because he was a medal hopeful and India will now go unrepresented in the 3,000 metre race.”
The AFI made no official comment, but federation president Adille Sumariwalle said in a Twitter comment there would be “zero tolerance on doping”.
“AFI has always said that in national camp athletes are tested every few days and if they are stupid to dope they WILL get caught. Hence the extra smart ones either don’t dope or avoid camp,” he said. “The FIGHT is ON.”
Meldonium can boost energy and endurance. Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova tested positive for meldonium in 2016 and was banned for two years.
Dagar is India’s second doping failure in a week after javelin thrower Amit Kumar failed an out-of-competition test in Finland. Kumar though is not part of the Asian Games squad after falling short of the 81-metre qualifying mark.
India is set to send a 540-plus squad to the Asian Games in Indonesia.