About 1,000 policemen, including 45 commandos trained in anti-terror operations, have been deployed at the stadium, at the Gopichand Academy where the teams have been practicing, and the four hotels where the players and officials are staying.

The police commissioner had Saturday dismissed a newspaper report that there was a threat to the championship from the LeT. He said the message from the Intelligence Bureau (IB) was routine in nature and there were no specific inputs about any threat to the event.

The central intelligence agency has already warned of possible terror attacks in Delhi, Hyderabad and Kolkata Aug 15, the Independence Day.

Police have sounded a general alert and are checking vehicles at various points and frisking people.

India's No.1 woman player Saina Nehwal called England's pullout 'unfortunate'.

'The tournament will not be affected by any terror perception. It is unfortunate that England team has decided to go back. They have not been seen practicing,' she said.

Ian Moss, England performance director, said: 'It is a disappointing outcome, especially after we had enjoyed a very good preparation at our holding camp in Doha, Qatar, last week.'

'Our athletes were extremely well prepared for these Championships but, at the end of the day, personal safety must take priority over performance,' he said.

'This was a unanimous squad decision and is not reflective on the efforts made by the Organising Committee to create the safest environment possible for all athletes.'

England's decision to pull out comes despite Home Minister P. Chidambaram's assurance that the tournament would take place 'in complete security'.

'I am satisfied that the World Badminton Championship will take place in complete security. No one need to have any apprehensions on this score,' Chidambaram said Saturday.

'The alert in Hyderabad was based on information shared with the state police in a routine manner. There is no specific information that points to any imminent threat to the badminton championship.'

Officials of the Intelligence Bureau had visited the stadium as well as the badminton academy being run by player-turned-coach Pullela Gopichand to take stock of the situation and alert the organisers over the possible threat from the Pakistan-based terror group LeT.

The England squad included Andrew Smith, Rajiv Ouseph (singles) and Anthony Clark, Nathan Robertson, Chris Adcock, Donna Kellogg, Gabby White and Jenny Wallwork (doubles).