Two hundred cops will guard the cemetery where Diego Maradona is buried to deter grave robbers.

Argentine officials fear fanatical fans will plunder his plot in a bid to collect ghoulish mementoes of the World Cup superstar.

The Ministry of Security said the strict measures would be in force for at least a week to “prevent any incident” at the Bella Vista cemetery on the outskirts of the capital Buenos Aires.

Maradona, whose Hand of God goal knocked England out of the 1986 World Cup, died last week aged 60.

He had a heart attack following an op on a brain blood clot. Last week, thousands lined up to see the national hero’s body lie in state.

‘THE PEOPLE WORSHIPPED DIEGO’

Many more lined the route of the funeral cortege, and cops fought running battles with fans.

Officials now fear a repeat of 1987, when ghouls robbed the grave of former Argentina president Juan Peron. A source said: “The authorities do not want to take any chances.

“The people worshipped Diego in the same way they adored Peron and there are genuine fears there may be an attempt to break in and remove parts of the body.”

Meanwhile, The Sun can reveal that Maradona’s neurosurgeon Lorenzo Luque, being investigated for possible manslaughter over the death, was quizzed on a murder in 2011.

He spent two months in jail while an investigation was carried out after a ­neighbour was kicked to death but he was never charged.