Stampede-like scenes in Cuttack for India vs England 2nd ODI tickets, people fall sick, police use water guns amid chaos

A stampede-like situation emerged outside the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack on Wednesday (February 5) as thousands of fans jostled for the offline tickets of India vs England's second ODI set to take place on February 9 (Sunday). Police had to resort to using water guns to disburse the crowd. Eager cricket fans gathered in large numbers on Tuesday night, and when the sale for the offline tickets began at 9 am on Wednesday, chaos reigned supreme. A stampede-like situation near Barabati Stadium in Cuttack(Odisha TV)

The online ticket sales for the India vs England 2nd ODI began on February 2, but those who could not get through even after waiting for hours were given an opportunity to grab the physical tickets on February 5 and February 6.

As soon as the message spread, cricket-crazy fans started queuing up in front of the stadium from the early hours of Wednesday. Some even slept the night just to make sure they don't miss out on the opportunity to catch a glimpse of their favourite cricketers, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and others, who will be playing at the venue after a long gap of five years. The last time these two superstars of Indian cricket played at this venue was in 2019, when India took on West Indies in an ODI. Kohli, incidentally, was the Player of the Match in that game, which India won.

This ODI against England is Cuttack's first intentional match in nearly three years. Their last was a T20I against South Africa in 2022. So there was bound to be a lot of excitement. However, according to multiple local media reports, the Odisha Cricket Association fell short of making proper arrangements.

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 said four or five people fell ill and had to be hospitalized because they felt uneasy. “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 main issue was the lack of proper entry and exit points, which created chaos among fans.

Upon hearing this, local police, led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), quickly responded and rushed to the stadium to manage the situation. The DCP, along with several platoon forces, was placed on high alert to monitor the crowd and ensure public safety. Efforts are being made to streamline the ticketing process to prevent any further disruptions.

Officials have urged the public to stay calm and patient during the ticket-purchasing process. They stressed the need to maintain order to ensure everyone's safety and security.

In a statement, Cuttack DCP Jagmohan Meena said, “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.”

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