IndvsAus T20I: 20 cricket fans injured in lathicharge at Gymkhana grounds

HYDERABAD: In a tragic turn of events, at least 20 cricket fan were reportedly injured in a stampede outside the Gymkhana Grounds on Thursday. The stampede took place when the police resorted to lathicharge to control a huge gathering of cricket fans at the grounds demanding tickets for the India vs Australia T20I match scheduled to be held at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium at Uppal on September 25 (Sunday). The injured have been shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment.

Unconfirmed reports earlier claimed that a woman fan was killed in the stampede. But the Hyderabad police dismissed the reports as mere rumours and clarified that the woman, who was injured in the incident, was being treated and there was no danger to her life. Out of the 20 injured, seven persons were being treated at Yashoda Hospital in Secunderabad. They sustained minor injuries in the lathicharge and the stampede, according to reports.

Gymkhana grounds were transformed into a fortress on Thursday, a day after the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) announced the sale of tickets there. Hyderabad police had to resort to a lathicharge to disperse the large crowd of enthusiasts who had gathered there to buy tickets for the India vs Australia match.

Fans began lining up early on Thursday for the tickets sale, which is slated for 10 am to 5 pm on Thursday. According to reports, each person is only permitted to purchase two tickets, and everybody coming to purchase tickets must have an Aadhar.

In an official announcement, the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) stated, "In order to make ticket sales for the India vs. Australia match more convenient for the general public, Hyderabad Cricket Association has decided to set up Box office at Gymkhana grounds starting on September 22 from 10 am to 5 pm."