Body cameras for stewards to catch unruly spectators in Kolkata

Kolkata, Oct 24 (IANS) Body cameras will be fitted on the stewards on duty in the galleries during the remaining three matches of the Under-17 FIFA World Cup at the Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan here for constant monitoring of the crowd to prevent any untoward incident, police said on Tuesday.

The decision has been taken in view of the misbehaviour of some spectators during Sunday's Brazil-Germany quarter final clash at the venue, where Brazil won the game 2-1.

"Body cameras will be fitted to stewards doing duty in the galleries during the coming matches," deputy commissioner (headquarters) of Bidhannagar police commissionerate Santosh Pandey told mediapersons.

"The cameras will be used for constant monitoring of the crowd. Some people had misbehaved after Brazil scored the second goal. The cameras will enable us take strict action against such offenders," Pandey said.

After Paulinho's stunning 77-minute winner, as Brazil players started celebrating close to the galleries, some fans in a state of frenzy threw water pouches on to the ground and on the lower tiers of the galleries.

Altogether 400 stewards, trained in soft skills and taken from different police units, have been deployed at the venue to guide and ensure the safety and security of the spectators.

One hundred and twenty of the stewards are women.

The FIFA regulations provide for appointment of stewards -- employed, hired, contracted or volunteering -- during its tournaments to assist in the "management of safety and security of spectators, VIPs/VVIPs, players, officials and any other person at the stadium, excluding those persons solely responsible for the security of designated individuals and members".

The VYBK is slated to host the England-Brazil semi-final on Wednesday, besides the October 28 final and third-fourth place matches.