Bangladeshi fan hospitalised after "falling ill" in Green Park stands
Self-proclaimed super fan Robi, who is a regular in his team's games and is often seen on camera waving the Bangladeshi flag, was in stand C and had to be carried out of the stadium in a state of distress
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Robi said he merely felt unwell and was given the requisite assistance by the local police. PHOTO: PTI
Kanpur, 27 Sept
A well-known Bangladeshi cricket
fan, who dresses as a tiger, had to be hospitalised after "falling
ill" while watching the second Test against India at the Green Park
Stadium here, an incident that he first indicated to be a case of physical
assault.
Self-proclaimed super fan Robi, who
is a regular in his team's games and is often seen on camera waving the
Bangladeshi flag, was in stand C and had to be carried out of the stadium in a
state of distress. "He was gasping for breath when he met a constable. He
became unconscious before we could speak to him, but now he is fine,"
Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Harish Chander told PTI.
During a brief interaction with
media, Robi indicated that he had been punched in his abdomen during an
altercation. However, in a statement issued from his hospital bed later, he
said he merely felt unwell and was given the requisite assistance by the local
police. "I fell ill and the police brought me to the hospital. Now I am
feeling much better. My name is Robi and I have come from Bangladesh," he
stated in a short video clip.
Abhishek Pandey, ACP (Kalyanpur),
said Robi received immediate medical care and insisted that he had not been
assaulted as alleged in early reports. "During the Test match between
India and Bangladesh, one of the spectators whose name is Tiger, suddenly fell
ill," the officer stated.
"As soon as he fell ill, he
was picked up by the police and was sent to the medical team for treatment. He
is fine now and a liaison officer as been attached to him so that he can get
help if needed.
"There were some reports of
assault but these are baseless, no such incident happened with him. He might
have taken a fall, this is what we have been able to gather," he added.
Earlier, an Uttar Pradesh Cricket
Association official said Robi could barely communicate when he was carried
out. "As he came out of the stands, he was wincing in pain and seemed to
be fainting. He was given a chair to sit but he fell," the official said.
The opening day of the Test ended
early due to rain with the visiting side on 107/3. Bangladesh lost the opening
game by an innings and 280 runs.
In a video posted on social media
on Thursday, Robi had claimed that "there is a conspiracy to hurt
Bangladeshi supporters" during the Kanpur Test. "But we are ready for
the possibility that we might be stopped from entering the stadium. In that
case we will sit outside and support the team," he had said. "I know
that I might face trouble but I am ready for that," he added.
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