Hockey tickets sold in black
The 15,000-capacity Kalinga Stadium had been sold out for all India matches and same was the case at yesterday’s quarter-final against Netherlands with the tickets ranging from Rs 100 to Rs 500. But given the significance of the match, some fans just had to have match tickets even if it meant purchasing them in black. R500 tickets were being sold from anything between Rs 800 to Rs 1500 and there were quite a few purchasers particularly at Gate No. 4 an hour before the 5pm start of the day’s first match. The black marketing took place behind auto rickshaws parked at a distance from the gate, given heavy police presence everywhere.