Published: Feb 11, 2019, 06:44 PM (IST)
Edited: Feb 11, 2019, 06:43 PM (IST)
Former India opener and Delhi captain Gautam Gambhir on Monday condemned attack on Amit Bhandari former India pacer and chairman of Delhi and Districts Cricket Association (DDCA) senior selection committee and demanded a life ban for the player.
Bhandari was attacked by a group of an unidentified men during the Under-23 team’s trials at St Stephen’s ground. He sustained injuries on head and ear and then his colleague Sukhvinder Singh took him to the Sant Paramanand Hospital at Civil Lines. (ALSO READ: Delhi cricket mess: Former India pacer, DDCA selector Amit Bhandari assaulted at U-23 state trials)
Gambhir took to Twitter, saying, “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.”
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
Shankar Saini, Delhi’s senior and U-23 team manager, said that around 15 men came with hockey sticks, rods and cycle chains.
“I was having my meal along with a colleague inside the tent and Bhandari along with other selectors and senior team coach Mithun Manhas was watching the probables play a trial match,” said Saini. (ALSO READ: Gautam Gambhir says he played no role in DDCA Cricket Committee’s resignation)
“A couple of men first came and went up to Bhandari. There were heated exchanges between Bhandari and the two men. They left and before we could gather our thoughts, suddenly some 15 men armed with hockey sticks, rods and cycle chains came charging,” Saini added.
“When the other boys attending the trials along with us rushed to save Bhandari, they started threatening us and one of them said, “Don’t get into this or else we will shoot you.”
“They hit Bhandari with hockey sticks and rods and he sustained head injury,” said the former Delhi seamer.
“I was not there when these two guys came and spoke with Bhandari. He is obviously rattled and once he gives his statement to the police, we will get to know more,” concluded Saini.
