According to an eyewitness, the attackers entered the ground when the trials were on and Bhandari and other selectors were monitoring the proceedings. The attackers told the other selectors that they were not targeting them and attacked only Bhandari
Amit Bhandari
Former India pacer and Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) chairman of the senior selection committee, Amit Bhandari received five stitches on his head after he was allegedly attacked by a group led by a player, who failed to make the cut during the Delhi U-23 selection trials for the Mushtaq Ali Trophy at St Stephen's Ground yesterday.
"Amit was attacked with bats, iron rods and hockey sticks and has received five stitches on his head. He is out of danger but was beaten up badly. Both his feet are swollen and there are numerous injury marks on his back. He is being treated at the Sant Parmanand Hospital in the Civil Lines area," one of selectors, who was an eye witness to the attack, told mid-day.
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An official at the St Stephen's ground told this correspondent that the same group had came to attack Bhandari on Saturday but its staff had requested them not to create a scene. "People who attacked Amit were putting pressure on us to select one particular player, but that boy is an average player, so we did not pick him," said another selector.
According to another eyewitness, the attackers entered the ground when the trials were on and Bhandari and other selectors were monitoring the proceedings. The attackers told the other selectors that they were not targeting them and attacked only Bhandari.
A police officer from Kashmiri Gate police station said that some of the U-23 aspirants could be behind the attack. Bhandari has recorded his statement with the police and investigations have begun. However, it is also learnt that the player in question has alleged that it was Bhandari who attacked him. He also claimed that Bhandari had promised him that he would surely be selected.
Indian cricket greats like Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag, who hail from Delhi reacted to the news and asserted their disgust with the whole incident on Twitter. Here are their tweets
Disgusted to see this happen right in the heart of the Capital. This can’t slip under the carpet and I will personally ensure it doesn’t. To begin with I am calling for a life ban from all cricket for the player who orchestrated this attack post his non-selection. https://t.co/RpS6fzTcNl
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) February 11, 2019
The attack on Delhi selector Amit Bhandari for not picking a player is a new low and I am hopeful that stringent action will be taken against the culprit and adequate measures will be taken to avoid such incidents.
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) February 11, 2019
The assault on @delhi_cricket chief selector Amit Bhandari by some goons is highly condemnable. It is the result of frustration. Selections this year in Delhi are being done strictly on merit with transparency, and selectors have resisted all pressures and monetary offers. 1/1
— Rajat Sharma (@RajatSharmaLive) February 12, 2019
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