Gymkhana stampede: Hyderabad police to act against HCA if found guilty
The stampede at the entrance of the grounds, according to police, was caused by improper coordination and inadequate security measures
HYDERABAD: Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) is likely to receive notices as a result of the unrest that erupted at the Gymkhana grounds in Hyderabad on Thursday morning over the sale of tickets for the India vs Australia T20I match. A case may also be registered against the cricket governing body, led by former India captain Mohammed Azharuddin, if the police find any lapses on its part with regard to the turn of events on Thursday.
The stampede at the entrance of the grounds, according to police, was caused by improper coordination and inadequate security measures. According to reports, the HCA had not set up adequate booths or counters at its Gymkhana office to sell tickets.
While speaking to Newstap, Additional CP(Law & Order) DS Chauhan remained non-committal on whether or not notices would be issued to the cricketing body over the stampede and the controversy surrounding the ticket sales. He stated that it was their responsibility to first control the law and order situation at the incident site before going into the lapses, if any, that might have caused the tension. "We will definitely take action against the authorities responsible if any lapses are found during the investigation," he asserted.
The Gymkhana grounds were transformed into a fortress on Thursday, a day after the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) announced the sale of tickets there. Hyderabad police had to resort to lathicharge to disperse the large crowd of cricket lovers who had gathered there to buy tickets for the India vs Australia match.
According to reports, numerous people were injured during the Thursday stampede at the Gymkhana grounds. About 20 persons have been injured, and seven of them were taken to Yashoda hospital for additional care. A woman who sustained multiple injuries in the incident is receiving treatment at Yashoda Hospital and is doing well.
Following the stampede incident at Gymkhana, the HCA came in for heavy criticism over the manner in which the whole issue was allowed to spiral out of control. The gymkhana incident today caused traffic jams for many commuters heading to their workplaces. Many commuters were reported to be late for work as a result of being caught in traffic for more than two hours close to the Gymkhana grounds.