Chaos erupted at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur on Friday during the second Test between India and Bangladesh, when a Bangladesh fan, known as ‘Tiger Roby,’ was rushed to the hospital following an alleged assault by other spectators. Roby reported that he was struck on his back and lower abdomen, which left him in considerable distress.
Quick action by security personnel ensured that Roby received immediate medical attention, and he was escorted to a nearby hospital. Clearly shaken, he recounted his ordeal to Sportstar, saying, “They hit me on my back and lower abdomen, and I could not breathe.” A video shared by PTI captured the fan in visible pain, struggling to communicate as he gestured towards his injuries.
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However, local police at the stadium disputed Roby’s claims of being assaulted. Officers stated that they found him near the C Block entrance, appearing to struggle for breath and hardly able to speak. According to a police source, Roby’s condition might have stemmed from dehydration rather than an encounter with hostile fans.
VIDEO | Bangladesh cricket team’s ‘super fan’ Tiger Roby was allegedly beaten up by some people during the India-Bangladesh second Test match being played at Kanpur’s Green Park stadium. He was taken to hospital by the police. More details are awaited.#INDvsBAN #INDvsBANTEST… pic.twitter.com/n4BXfKZhgy
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 27, 2024
In an interview with the Indian Express, Roby elaborated on the situation, saying that the crowd had been directing verbal abuse at him from the start of the day’s play. To seek refuge, he climbed to a balcony. “A cop told me not to stand in that block. I was there only because I was scared. They were hurling abuses since morning. I have watched enough Bollywood movies to understand the abuses,” he explained.
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This incident isn’t an isolated case of rising tensions between Indian and Bangladeshi cricket fans. A similar situation occurred during the 2023 ODI World Cup in Pune, where another prominent Bangladesh supporter, Shoaib Ali Bukhari, known as ‘Tiger Shoaib,’ faced harassment from Indian fans, destroying his iconic tiger mascot.
Ahead of the Kanpur Test, security measures were heightened due to concerns about protests from the Hindu Mahasabha, which threatened to demonstrate during the match, citing alleged “atrocities” against Hindus in Bangladesh as their motive.
