HCA President Mohammad Azharuddin, members booked; allegation of tickets being sold in 'black'

Hyderabad police have booked Hyderabad Cricket Association's President Mohammad Azharuddin and other members following the Gymkhanna ground's stampede-like-situation. The cops acted on a complaint filed by an injured sub-inspector and an injured lady. According to the complainant, it is alleged that HCA sold a high stake of tickets in black.

On 25 September, Hyderabad is set to host the India-Australia match of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. The Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) led by former Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin has appointed Paytm as its contractor to sell tickets online and offline.

Speaking to NewsMeter, Inspector of police- Begumpet P Srinivas Rao said, " A high stake of T20 cricket match tickets were sold in black, alleged the lady. On Thursday when HCA's appointed contractor Paytm opened a counter in Gymkhanna grounds in Secunderabad, the crowd turned berserk when a man claimed that only 3000 tickets were left while the rest had been sold out. Following this, the crowd turned restive leading to stampede like situation".

Around 20 cricket fans were injured, and a couple of them fainted. Of them, seven people were admitted to hospital. According to the doctors, the injured people were terrified following the incident and in a state of panic. It took time to stabilise them. The two patients who were discharged are Sujatha and Sai Kishore, both 25-year-olds.

Sujatha injured her knee but is stable now. A video of Sujatha being carried in an ambulance has gone viral. She fainted during the commotion. The huge crowd and police lathi charge caused her to panic and she collapsed. She was kept under observation for five hours and then discharged. Meanwhile, Sai Kishore suffered a soft tissue injury but is stable now.

Among the seven admitted to the hospital were two policemen who suffered fractures, while the other five suffered from fractures and soft tissue injury. Ranjitha (48) has blunt trauma in the chest; Adithyanath (23) fractured his left ankle; Aliya (19), trauma in the chest.

Police constable Srikanth (36) had a nasal bone fracture and constable Srinath also had a fracture. They were injured when they tried to separate and dissuade the crowd. However, the crowd went berserk and they were caught unawares. The injured people said a stampede was the last thing they expected while buying tickets for a cricket match.

Begumpet police have booked them under sections 420 and 337 of the Indian Penal Code. Investigation on, the inspector added.