Follow UsIt was utter chaos outside the Barabati Stadium, Cuttack, on February 5 (Wednesday) as a stampeded-like situation arose that saw many fans hospitalised while looking to buy a ticket for the second One-Day International (ODI) between India and England, which will be played there on February 9 (Sunday).
After the online tickets were sold out, the fans were informed that they could still buy a physical copy outside the stadium. As a result, thousands of people thronged the stadium to watch some of their favourite cricketers, such as Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
However, due to the poor arrangements, many people faced hardships while acquiring their tickets. People have been queuing up since early in the morning, and a few have also spent the night outside the ticket centre. The situation got so bad that the police had to use water guns to disperse the crowd.
According to Odisha TV, "Irate locals blamed the administration for insufficient facilities for the people. The widespread chaos was attributed to poor exit management, which resulted in crowd control issues. After repeated complaints, police had to cut down the bamboo barricades to create an emergency exit."
A fan at the venue also said 4-5 people were hospitalised because they did not have access to basic amenities like water. “We are requesting them for water, but there is no drinking water provision here. At least four persons had to be hospitalised, but they are not providing drinking water," said the fan.
The local police, led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), responded quickly and ensured that there were no further disruptions.
“We’ve sped up the ticket sale so people can exit faster. We aim to clear the area within half an hour. I ask everyone to remain patient, as many have been queuing since midnight. We have also requested water supply for those waiting in line," Cuttack DCP Jagmohan Meena said in a statement.
The three-match ODI series begins on February 6 (Thursday) in Nagpur, while the second game will be played in Cuttack on February 9. The series will end with the third game in Ahmedabad on February 12.