Former India cricketer Amit Bhandari is reported to be out of danger after a group of goons attacked him with iron rods and hockey sticks on Monday. Bhandari, who was conducting the trials for the U-23 team for Mushtaq Ali Trophy, was attacked at the St. Stephen’s ground near Kashmere Gate.
He was immediately rushed to a local hospital by his co-selector Sukhvinder Singh. He’s now reported to be out of danger.
“Around 1 pm, two-three players came to him (Bhandari) and started hitting him with a bat on his head. He was bleeding and was rushed to hospital,” a DDCA official was quoted by news agency ANI.
NDTV quoted DCP Nupur Prasad as saying, “The selection committee was selecting players for Mushtaq Ali Trophy selection. One rejected player came to him and questioned why he was not selected. Then he started beating him (Bhandari). First he used his hands, then used a stick to attack.”
It’s suspected that a group of dejected aspirants may have planned the brutal attack on Bhandari, who also runs a cricket academy in Delhi.
The attack on Bhandari sent shockwaves across the cricketing fraternity. Former India opener Virender Sehwag tweeted, “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.”
Another former India batsman, Gautam Gambhir, tweeted, “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.”
Delhi’s senior and U-23 team manager Shankar Saini told news agency PTI, “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.
“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,” he said.