Former India fast bowler and currently chairman of the DDCA senior selection committee, Amit Bhandari has been assaulted by a group of unidentified people at the U23 state trials at St. Stephen’s ground in Delhi. Reportedly, the men were sent by a player who didn’t make the cut in the trials.
Bhandari has suffered injuries to his ear and head and was admitted to the Sant Paramanand Hospital at Civil Lines by colleague Sukhvinder Singh. The men managed to get away before police reached the spot. Delhi & Districts Cricket Association (DDCA) president Rajat Sharma gave a statement to PTI in regards to this incident.
Sharma said, “We are trying to procure all details of the incident. As far as I have come to know, it is regarding one disgruntled player, who didn’t make it to the probable list for the National U-23 tournament.”
“The SHO from the local police station has reached Stephen’s ground and I have personally spoken to the Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik. The guilty will not go unpunished. I promise exemplary action against whoever is found involved in this misdeed. We will register an FIR,” Sharma said.
Delhi’s senior and U-23 team manager Shankar Saini recalled the incident saying, “I was having my meal along with a colleague inside the tent and Bhandari along with other selectors and senior team coach Mithun Manhas was watching the probably play a trial match.”
“A couple of men first came and went up to Bhandari. There were heated exchanges between Bhandari and the two men. They left and before we could gather our thoughts, suddenly some 15 men armed with hockey sticks, rods, and cycle chains came charging,” Saini said.
“When the other boys attending the trials along with us rushed to save Bhandari, they started threatening us and one of them said, “Don’t get into this or else we will shoot you. “ They hit Bhandari with hockey sticks and rods and he sustained head injury,” Saini said.
Saini gave his views on who could be behind the attacks and said, “I was not there when these two guys came and spoke with Bhandari. He is obviously rattled and once he gives his statement to the police, we will get to know more.”
(indianexpress.com/PTI inputs)
