Mumbai: Several fans, who gathered at Mumbai’s Marine Drive for the victory parade of the T20 World Cup-winning Indian cricket team, were injured and some faced trouble breathing on Thursday.
An estimated 300,000 supporters gathered to catch a glimpse of their cricketing heroes during the victory parade.
The Mumbai police deployed around 5,000 personnel across Marine Drive and Wankhede Stadium to manage the massive crowd, but despite their efforts, several fans faced difficulties.
The joyous occasion was marred by incidents of injuries and health issues. Ten people were rushed to the nearest government hospital after experiencing various problems, including one fan who sustained a fracture and another who had trouble breathing.
Ravi Solanki, an eyewitness expressed, “I was coming from the office and came to know that the Indian team would reach here between 5 pm-6 pm which did not happen. The crowd progressively swelled. The police were not managing the situation. People suddenly started shouting, after which some people fell on each other. It was very unorganised. There was nobody to manage. The incident happened between 8.15-8.45 pm.”
The roadshow, stretching from Nariman Point to Wankhede Stadium, culminated in a grand felicitation ceremony organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) at the stadium.
Rishab Mahesh Yadav, a fan who fainted during the parade, shared his ordeal: “The crowd was overwhelming. I fell and got choked, losing consciousness. I was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment and feel fine now. There was a severe lack of management, and the police were not vigilant.”
