Crowd trouble at closing ceremony of Hero HIL

Sources said the Hockey India had announced free entry for viewers for all matches, but online ticket booking was mandatory.
Hero Hockey India League logo
Hero Hockey India League logo(Photo | X)
Updated on
1 min read

ROURKELA: Utter chaos marked the closing ceremony of Hero Hockey India League (HIL) as the Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium (BMIHS) battled overcrowding during the performance of Bollywood actor Sara Ali Khan on Saturday night.

Police faced a tough time to manage the pouring fans who tried to force their entry into the already jam-packed stadium to get a glimpse of the popular actress free of cost.

Sources said the Hockey India had announced free entry for viewers for all matches, but online ticket booking was mandatory.

For the final match between Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers and Hyderabad Toofans, there was a massive craze among hockey fans and the excitement doubled with the performance of Sara. To make matters worse, people with or without tickets were reportedly allowed entry to the stadium which has a capacity of around 21,000 seats.

While the stadium was packed inside, a strong crowd outside was struggling to get entry. In the chaos, many people having free tickets or passes also failed to enter.

Sources said during Sara’s performance, there was commotion at the Gate 2 as people waiting outside tried to force their way in after an iron gate got uprooted. Police had to apply mild baton charge to disperse the mob.

DIG (Western Range) Brijesh Kumar Rai admitted to the overcrowding outside the stadium and said once the actress’ performance ended, the crowd vanished in no time.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Sports and Youth Services Minister Suraj Suryabanshi along with a host of MLAs were among the spectators who watched the final match.

Related Stories

No stories found.

X
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com