Even as Sachin Tendulkar went on cracking yet another rollicking century in the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, thousands of his fans were treated to a raw deal outside the venue.
They had bought valid tickets —of the cheapest denomination — but could not enter the park on time to catch the master blaster in action. Besides, they were at the receiving end of the police cane at least a dozen times.
The authorities had provided just one entry point to them, where the police frisked each one in detail, further delaying their entry. By the time several of them managed to get in, the Indian innings was halfway through.
Those who managed to enter the stadium missed Tendulkar. Several others went home disappointed, hoping to catch the match on television.
More than 4,000 ticket-holders were queueing up outside the stadium, the queue winding all the way from a corner of the Cubbon Park to Anil Kumar Circle on MG Road. The crowd became restless as the start of the match neared, and police had to use canes to keep them under control. Five among the crowd were injured in the incident.
Incidentally, many of cricket fans, including women, had joined the queue in the morning itself. They waited patiently, the tricolour painted on their faces, and held banners meant to cheer their favourite players and team. There was no separate queue for women.
Some people went around in a procession, waving the Indian tricolour, and shouting slogans in favour of the home team. Roads around the stadium were choked from 9am.
Several cricket buffs expressed their anger, and entered into heated argument with the police, after many England fans had an easy access to the stadium, bypassing the queue. Many Indian fans were also seen escorted inside without having to stand in the queue. It was later learnt that they were ushered in following a “special request from the KSCA.”
