Stampede scare at Arun Jaitley Stadium amid Virat Kohli's return
What's the story
While Virat Kohli's Ranji Trophy return after more than a decade thrilled fans, chaos outside the Arun Jaitley Stadium dampened the occasion.
The former Indian skipper is playing a match against Suraj Ahuja's Railways team on Thursday, January 30.
However, an unexpected surge of fans resulted in several injuries and led to the stadium's property damage
Here's more.
Injuries
Uncontrolled crowd leads to injuries and property damage
As the India Today, the unruly crowd outside Gate 16 caused a few fans to fall near the entry gate, injuring at least three people.
A police bike was also damaged in the melee and several fans lost their shoes.
Meanwhile, the injured were immediately attended to by the Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) security personnel and police officers deployed near the gate.
Crowd management
Unpreparedness for large turnout exacerbates situation
The incident underscored Delhi's cricket administrators' unpreparedness as they hadn't expected such a huge turnout.
Initially, only three gates were to be opened for fans, but seeing the crowd, an additional gate was opened eventually.
However, fans were seen queued up outside Gates 16 and 17 as early as 8am IST, braving over an hour-long wait before the gates were unlocked.
Fan frenzy
Tensions rise as fans scramble for entry
The increasing tension among fans was visible as they pushed to get closer to the entrance.
Many young fans began to feel uncomfortable due to excessive pushing and pulling while waiting for Gate 16 to open.
Additionally, a security officer had to step in, warning fans to step back and advising them to use other gates for entry, as the situation at the venue was rapidly escalating.
Security lapse
Security measures overlooked amid chaos
Despite the DDCA reportedly making it mandatory for fans to carry a copy of their Aadhaar Card, many rushed to photocopy centers near the stadium to get their documents ready.
However, amidst the chaos, this identification was never actually checked.
The confusion continued even after fans had entered the venue, with several school and college-going youngsters leaving their bags near Gate 16, as instructed by security, but facing difficulties when trying to retrieve them later.