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Police Bike Damaged, 3 Injured As Virat Kohli Madness In Delhi Leads To Stampede Fear

Rajgeeta Yadav

Huge crowd chaos at Kotla Stadium [Source: @ImTanujSingh/X.com]Huge crowd chaos at Kotla Stadium [Source: @ImTanujSingh/X.com]

New Delhi, January 30 – A stampede-like situation unfolded outside the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi as thousands of fans gathered to watch Virat Kohli’s return to the Ranji Trophy. The unexpected crowd surge led to chaos, with at least three fans injured and a police bike damaged.

Virat Kohli, playing his first first-class match in 12 years, was part of Delhi’s playing XI against Railways. The excitement among fans was sky-high, as many wanted to witness their favourite cricketer play for his hometown team. However, the huge crowd outside Gate 16 soon became uncontrollable, leading to injuries and panic.

Chaotic Scenes Outside the Arun Jaitley Stadium 

Fans had started gathering as early as 5 AM IST near Gates 16 and 17, close to the Delhi Gate Metro Station. Only three entry gates were initially planned for spectators, but due to the unexpected rush, an additional gate was later opened.

As the gates remained closed, eager fans pushed forward, leading to a stampede-like situation. Several individuals fell, a police motorcycle was damaged, and people lost their belongings in the commotion. Security and DDCA officials treated the injured near the entrance, with one fan needing a bandage on the leg. Even a security guard got hurt while trying to control the crowd.

Despite strict entry rules, security checks were minimal due to the overwhelming crowd. Fans were asked to carry copies of their Aadhar cards, but in the chaos, many rushed to nearby photocopy shops, only to find that identification was never checked.

Inside the stadium, confusion continued. Young fans, who had to leave their bags near Gate 16, struggled to retrieve them later. Some spectators also wanted to leave after Delhi won the toss and opted to bowl, knowing Kohli wouldn’t bat immediately. However, security initially refused to let them exit, leading to heated arguments between fans and officials.

Delhi’s Match Begins Amidst Disruptions

Amidst the commotion, the match finally started, with Railways struggling early, losing three wickets for just 21 runs. Although the game went on, the security lapses and mismanagement raised concerns about Delhi’s ability to handle such large crowds in domestic matches.