Hyderabad Woman Critically Injured in Stampede Over India-Australia Match Tickets at Parade Grounds

HYDERABAD: A woman who went to buy the India-Australia cricket match tickets at Parade Grounds was critically injured and several people fainted in the stampede that ensued on Thursday after the gates were opened at the Gymkhana in Parade grounds, where the Hyderabad Cricket Association was selling tickets for the upcoming T20 match.

Several people including the police were injured after the crowds reportedly 30,000 in number, were waiting since early morning hours to buy tickets and rushed forward when the gates were opened. The crowds could not be controlled and the police had a tough time managing the surging crowds and had to resort to lathi charge to control them. Scores of women fainted in the melee and women police officials had to administer CPR to a victim after she fainted. Many men, women, and girls were seen lying on the ground and had to be carried aside and given water as there was no provision for first aid. The injured were taken to nearby Yashoda hospital for treatment. Several policemen were also injured in the incident. There were many elderly women, and women with children in the crowds who had come to purchase tickets from far-off places.

A few cricket enthusiasts speaking to Sakshi TV who had come to Parade grounds blame the  HCA's mismanagement in the sale of tickets and said that there was no clarity in the sale of tickets leading to confusion among cricket fans. This kind of stampede had never occurred before in the city. There was no clarity over the sale of tickets and after the offline sale of tickets was announced that tickets would be sold at Parade Grounds on Friday. The HCA management had not made proper arrangements for queue line management leading to the stampede.

Speaking to Sakshi Additional Commissioner Of Police DS Chauhan said that HCA had not made proper arrangements and queue counters for people to purchase tickets. There were only two counters for the sale of 3000 tickets that were to be sold and the added mismanagement by the HCA members led to this unfortunate incident.

As of now, the HCA management is yet to respond to the incident.

Also Read: Hyderabad Police Resort to Lathicharge at Gymkhana Grounds Over Tickets