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The Print
a day ago
- Sport
- The Print
‘My brother was crazy about cricket, it took his life': Chinnaswamy stampede leaves families devastated
Scenes like these play out as about 30-40 such people wait inside the gates of the morgue in the state-run Bowring Hospital. Despite being mostly strangers to one another, these people are united by a shared experience of loss. All are families and friends of the victims of the Wednesday stampede outside Chinnaswamy Stadium. An old couple was taken to the nearby hospital after they collapsed some time ago. A couple of feet away from the wailing mother, another family weeps at the loss of their relatives. Bengaluru: A mother cries inconsolably while her young daughter stares into space, almost seeming tired of wailing. The woman's older son is on the phone, screaming that he lost his younger brother, a teenager. 'Show me the way and I will come to you,' the mother wails. Out of the 11 people who died, six bodies are kept in the Bowring Hospital while the other five in another hospital not very far. All the victims are below 33 with the youngest, just 13. It was meant to be a day of triumph, as the city had geared up to celebrate Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) title. Unfortunately, destiny had a different outcome in store as 11 people died in the stampede—one of the worst in the city's history. 'Thought this was a joke' Outside the morgue, the scene is somber. Every few minutes, officials emerge to announce the name of a victim. A wave of sympathetic glances passes among the waiting individuals, each unaware of which family now faces this devastating news. Many have been waiting hours while others plead with the police to be allowed inside. Most of them are on the phone, constantly explaining what happened to concerned callers. Among them are a set of friends of one victim. A young working professional, the victim had left office early to make it to the parade despite her friends advising against it. When one of the friends did not hear back from her, he kept calling the phone. After nearly a couple of hours, a person picked up the phone. It wasn't his friend but a policeman. 'I thought they were joking,' he tells the others, only to realise that the horrors were real. The group now awaits the arrival of her parents, who live in Coimbatore. They still don't know the tragedy. 'If I knew, I would have definitely stopped her,' says another friend. Another says that it was her choice. Many among them are grappling with the reality of what has occurred and are finding it difficult to come to terms with this devastating event. Some people were slightly more fortunate. 'I was on my way from Mandya (about 100 km away) for the victory celebrations but found out the situation on the way,' Harsh, an RCB fan, says. He and another relative wait for their cousin who has been taken in for an X-ray. His cousin has a torn ligament. Also Read: Siddaramaiah orders probe after 11 killed in stampede at RCB victory celebrations in Bengaluru 'People were packed like sardines' As the families grieve the losses of their loved ones, the opposition parties train their guns on the Siddaramaiah government for the loss of the precious lives. Arvind Bellad, the deputy leader of the opposition and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, posted a pic on 'X'. The image is of RCB celebrating the IPL trophy on an open-top bus while covered bodies are placed before them. According to the police, the people were trying to gain entry in any gate possible as there was confusion on the 'invite only' entry criteria. 'People were packed like sardines,' one senior officer said. The RCB team, as per the official schedule, were to land at 1.30 p.m. at Bengaluru's HAL airport and then would make their way to Vidhana Soudha where they would be felicitated by the chief minister and the state government. Post this, there would be a victory parade in an open-top bus at 5 p.m. from the Vidhana Soudha to the Chinnaswamy stadium, a distance of under 1 km. But the police denied permission for the procession since it would disrupt traffic on one of the busiest days of the week. Since the procession was cancelled, the only other option to see the team was by gaining access into the stadium. It was then decided that the team would go to the Chinnaswamy stadium and celebrations would continue inside. But there was confusion on who would be allowed inside. There were some stating that it was 'invite only' and in some places, there were told that tickets would be available at the counters. By this time, thousands of people had already gathered outside the Vidhana Soudha to catch a glimpse of their favourite cricketers. A number just as many gathered near the stadium, hoping to get entry. The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) sent out one notification to all its members in which it stated that entry will be on a 'first-come, first-serve' basis. It also added that entry gates will open at 3 p.m. and asked fans to secure their seats early. Calls to the KSCA secretary, A. Shankar, went unanswered. Eyewitnesses recall that the crowds were waiting from at least 2 p.m. and until 5.20 p.m., the gates were not opened, which added to the crowds. At one point, the security partially opened Gate 7 to funnel people inside but this led to the crowd gushing into the small opening and the people getting crushed under the stampede that ensued. The barricades meant to act as a divider fell and then the people started to climb over those, crushing those trapped below, another eyewitness said. But this was not the only place. There were similar scenes outside Gate 18-19. 'There are small gates. The people entered through the gates. They have broken the gates also (and) stampede has taken place,' Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, adding that the stadium capacity is 35,000 but more than 2-3 lakh people showed up. Even after the stampede, the people continued on their way inside and celebrations continued inside the stadium till 6.30 p.m. There were fireworks going off even as ambulances sped to the nearest hospitals. Many fans were seen revelling, ecstatic coming out of the stadium even as families mourned the losses of their loved ones barely a kilometre away. As the mother cried, her older son was just as distraught, continuously screaming out his anguish. 'He was crazy about cricket. Now cricket itself has taken his life.' (Edited by Tony Rai) Also Read: Allahabad 2013 to NDLS 2025: A look at stampedes at Indian railway stations in last 20 yrs
Indian Express
3 days ago
- General
- Indian Express
Chandigarh's Harsh Gupta commands Indian Naval Academy's passing out parade
After undergoing four years of intensive training and academic excellence, Harsh Gupta has brought pride to Chandigarh and the nation as he commanded the prestigious Passing Out Parade of graduating cadets from the Indian Naval Academy. A resident of Sector 44-B, Chandigarh and an alumnus of the prestigious Sainik School, Kunjpura in Karnal, Harsh was selected for the Indian Naval Academy after clearing the highly competitive NDA/NA examination. His outstanding leadership was recognised in a historic moment as he was chosen to command the prestigious Passing Out Parade — a rare honour bestowed on only the most exemplary cadets. In recognition of his all-round excellence, Harsh was also awarded the Chief of Naval Staff Medal, one of the highest accolades for cadets at the academy. Harsh's father, Sanjeev Kumar Gupta, serves as an Assistant Audit Officer in the Office of the Principal Accountant General (Audit), Punjab, while his mother, Monika Gupta, is a homemaker.
India Gazette
26-05-2025
- Sport
- India Gazette
"See him as a Test bowler...": Tim Moody hails SRH spinner Harsh Dubey
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 26 (ANI): Indian spin legend Anil Kumble hailed Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) spin bowling all-rounder Harsh Dubey for his performance against defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). SRH concluded their campaign on a high with a 110-run win over KKR at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Sunday. Harsh, who starred in Vidarbha's Ranji title win this year with a record-breaking 69 scalps, was the standout bowler for SRH with figures of 3/34. His scalps included those of Rinku Singh, Andre Russell and Ramandeep Singh. Speaking after the game in the ESPNCricinfo Time Out, Kumble said about Harsh, 'He is giving it a tweak, that is the start. And when you do that, you certainly get a bit of drift. And, more importantly, it goes off the surface that much quicker. And that's something that we see in Harsh Dubey.' 'It is not just about tossing the ball up. People think that when you are looking to spin the ball... he gives it a proper tweak. And even when you are pushing it - you are looking to bowl faster - you still need to give it a bit of a rip. The trajectory needs to be flatter, but you are still giving it a rip, that's what gives you the dip. Today, when he got Ramandeep [Singh] out, and also Andre Russell, he beat them with pace, not just the turn or with... with Russell, it just came back with the arm. He beat them with pace, and that is what you want from a spinner,' he added. Speaking on his delivery that caught Russell leg-before-wicket, former Australian cricketer Tom Moody said: 'Absolute peach. One thing I have observed - and Anil is a hell of a lot more qualified to talk about spin - with him is that when he changes his pace, he does not lose the integrity of the shape of the ball. He is still overspinning the ball. So when he is looking to bowl quicker, he has still got that overspin on the ball, therefore, the ball then drops and, as Anil says, it really kicks off the surface, spins off the surface.' 'A lot of spinners, when they are under pressure - are looking to bowl it a bit quicker - lose that integrity of the ball where you have got the seam coming up over the top, it tends to come more on the side, so it just becomes a quicker ball, which disappears even further. So it is how the ball arrives onto the pitch is the most important thing. His arrival, the ball's arrival, has always got a really nice shape to it, and dip to it, with the change of pace. Therefore, from a batting perspective, it is a lot harder to judge and just hit the ball out of the ground,' he concluded. Harsh will get a chance to showcase his skills on England pitches for India A during the first-class games against England Lions in May-end, and a match against the senior India Test squad from June 13 ahead of the Test series against England starting from June 20. Kumble and Moody both feel that this stint with India A could lead to big things for Dubey. Moody said about the long-format potential of Dubey, who has 97 scalps in 18 first-class games at an average of almost 20, 'I see him as a Test bowler as much as a T20 bowler. I look at him and think, 'wow, imagine facing this guy on a turning track'.' Kumble also agreed that the all-rounder has potential. 'We have seen him bowl today in the white-ball format. The consistency is what matters. And that is something he has shown in domestic cricket, of getting wickets. And this is a great opportunity to be part of the India A squad,' he concluded. Coming to the match, SRH won the toss and opted to bat first. Abhishek Sharma (32 in 16 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes) kickstarted things well with Travis Head. But it was an 83-run stand between Head (76 in 40 balls, with six fours and six sixes) and Heinrich Klaasen (105* in 39 balls, with seven fours and nine sixes) that took things to the next level for SRH. Klaasen clubbed a 37-ball ton and had another successful partnership with Ishan Kishan (29 in 20 balls, with four boundaries and a six) to push SRH to 278/3. Sunil Narine (2/42) was the top bowler for KKR. In the run-chase, KKR faltered right from the start and were never in contention. Manish Pandey (37 in 23 balls, with two fours and three sixes) and Harshit Rana (34 in 21 balls, with two fours and three sixes) did provide some entertainment, but KKR was bundled out for 168 in 18.4 overs. Harsh (3/34), Eshan Malinga (3/31) and Jaydev Unadkat (3/24) were top bowlers for SRH. Klaasen was given the 'Player of the Match' for his century. SRH ended at sixth spot with six wins, seven losses and a no result, giving them 13 points. KKR end their season at eighth spot with five wins, seven losses and two no results. (ANI)
India Today
19-05-2025
- Sport
- India Today
Ranji Trophy record-breaker Harsh Dubey makes IPL debut for SunRisers Hyderabad
Harsh Dubey, 22, is enjoying the highs of the sport. Days after earning a place in the India 'A' squad for the tour of England in June, the Vidarbha left-arm spinner made his Indian Premier League debut. Harsh was named in the XI for SunRisers Hyderabad's away fixture against Lucknow Super Giants in Lucknow on Monday, 19 replaced Australian opener Travis Head, who was ruled out of the clash after rejoining the squad late due to a COVID-19 infection. Pat Cummins confirmed that Head was travelling with the team, but the SunRisers did not want to rush his return. | LSG vs SRH Coverage |advertisementHarsh went unsold at the IPL 2025 mega auction but was later signed as an injury replacement by SunRisers Hyderabad for R. Smaran. A left-arm spinner who can also contribute with the bat, Harsh made headlines during the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy season, picking up 69 wickets. He broke the record for the most wickets in a single Ranji Trophy season, surpassing Ashutosh Aman's tally of 68 wickets set in Day for DubeyHarsh Dubey | #PlayWithFire | #LSGvSRH | #TATAIPL2025 SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) May 19, 2025 Following the domestic season, Harsh was playing First Division League cricket in Chennai. However, his stint was cut short when SRH signed him as a replacement player on 5 May. He did not get a game before the IPL was suspended due to rising cross-border tensions between India and eventually made it into the playing XI in SunRisers' first match after the resumption of IPL 2025. He was given his opportunity alongside Atharva Taide, who was brought in as an Impact Substitute for Jaydev making his debut for Vidarbha in December 2022, Harsh has played 18 first-class matches, claiming 97 wickets at an impressive average of his performances in white-ball cricket have yet to hit similar heights. He has taken 21 wickets in 20 List A matches and 9 wickets in 16 T20 matches, though he has maintained an economical T20 rate of SunRisers Hyderabad already out of playoff contention, Harsh will now depart for England with the first batch of India 'A' players. Led by Abhimanyu Easwaran, the India A side will play two four-day matches in England before facing the senior Indian Test team in an intra-squad match. The Test side will begin their five-match series in England on 20 Hyderabad (Playing XI) - Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen, Aniket Verma, Kamindu Mendis, Pat Cummins (C), Harshal Patel, Harsh Dubey (On IPL debut), Zeeshan Ansari, Eshan player options for SRH - Mohammad Shami, Atharva Taide, Sachin Baby, Abhinav Manohar, Simarjeet updated on IPL 2025 with India Today! Get match schedules, team squads, live score, and the latest IPL points table for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Plus, keep track of the top contenders for the IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap. Don't miss a moment!Must Watch IN THIS STORY#IPL 2025
Hindustan Times
19-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
Panchkula: 3 held for thrashing, hurling casteist slurs at two students get bail
A local court has granted bail to three students who were arrested earlier this month for allegedly hurling casteist remarks and assaulting two ITI students belonging to the Scheduled Caste (SC) community. The bail was granted to Mohit Kumar, 19, and Sahil, 19, from Mauli village, and Aryan, 19, from Barwala village. The trio was booked by the Sector-5 police station on May 1 under Sections 115, 190, 191 (2) and 351 (2) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and Sections 3 (1) (s) and 3(2)(va) of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. They had been in police custody since their arrest. According to the prosecution's case, the complainant, Harsh Kumar, 20, a resident of Nangal village and an electrician trade student at ITI, Sector 14, filed a complaint stating that on May 1, around 8.20 am, while he and his friend Sarabjit Singh were en route to ITI from the Jaloli toll plaza and reached the Sector-5 bus stand, they were accosted by Sahil, a fellow ITI student. Sahil allegedly used a casteist slur against Harsh, prompting them to turn back. The complaint further stated that Sahil, accompanied by another boy, approached them, grabbed him by the throat, and enquired about a social media post he had uploaded from his mobile phone. When Harsh explained it was about a meeting, Sahil and his companion allegedly asserted their Rajput identity, stating Harsh could 'never match them', and demanded he delete the post. Upon refusal, Sahil and his friend allegedly began to thrash Harsh and Sarabjit. Seeking safety, they fled towards Shahidi Samagam, Sector 10, near Tawa Dhaba, but Sahil and his companion allegedly followed and continued the assault, demanding they shout slogans of 'Rajput Zindabad' and upload a social media post stating 'Bhim Army Muradabad' from their phones. The victims managed to escape again and sought refuge near Tawa Dhaba. Subsequently, Mohit, Shekhar, Nitin, Sahil, Johny, another boy named Sahil and 5-6 other boys, who also study at ITI, allegedly attacked them with hardened punches. One of the attackers was reportedly video-recording the incident. The arrival of a police vehicle caused the attackers to flee after allegedly uttering casteist remarks and threats of killing anyone who uploaded or commented on a controversial marriage incident from Mauli village. While granting bail, the court noted that Aryan was a student at Government College, Sector 1, Panchkula, and was not named in the initial complaint. His name surfaced in a supplementary statement. The court also observed that the injuries sustained by Harsh and Sarabjit were abrasions, classified as simple and blunt by the doctor, and there were no allegations that the petitioners were armed. The defence counsel argued that the complainant neither mentioned his caste in the initial complaint nor specified that the petitioners belonged to non-scheduled castes. The court further noted that accused Mohit belongs to the Kabir Panthi caste, recognised as a Scheduled Caste in Haryana. Further, the court noticed the absence of any allegation that the petitioners abused the complainant and his friend by their caste name in a public place. The court also considered that the petitioners and the complainant were young, around 19 years old, and their exams were scheduled to begin on June 2, requiring preparation time. Considering their custody period, the lack of any pending recoveries and the anticipated length of the trial, the court deemed that no useful purpose would be served by keeping them in jail. Consequently, the petitioners were granted bail upon furnishing personal bonds subject to stipulated conditions.
