`Policemen took away my tickets’

NEW DELHI, FEB 6: After being very courteous for the first two days of the Test match, the Delhi Police were in their true elements today...

NEW DELHI, FEB 6: After being very courteous for the first two days of the Test match, the Delhi Police were in their true elements today. With India in a comfortable position at the end of play yesterday, the number of spectators coming to watch the game was bound to increase. Several students who came to the Ferozeshah Kotla grounds in the morning complained that their tickets were snatched by the cops at the gates.

“I was a mute witness to watching them (policemen) taking away our tickets and selling them for Rs 100 each,” Ravinder Kumar said.

It was not just the students who suffered at the hands of the policemen this morning. Even the vehicle bearing the PMO label was not allowed to enter the stadium. Despite requests from Ashok Tandon, officer on special duty (media) at the Prime Minister’s House, the policemen would not relent. It was only after the intervention of some DDCA officials that the vehicle was allowed to get in.

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0Even gold and silver pass holders were harassed by the policemen, aVIP complained.

No takers for hockey

The Indian and Pakistan hockey teams which played a match at Bhopal the previous evening came in and went out almost unnoticed. Both teams were at the Kotla this morning to watch the game. They left the stadium 30 minutes into the post-lunch session.

Not just cricket

The Pakistanis are not smiling anymore. The friendly gestures and appreciative nods have all evaporated coinciding with the team’s dipping fortunes. The happy faces seen at Chennai have been replaced by sullen ones.They were deservedly cheered by the Chennai crowd, but their attitude here in Delhi has now led them to being jeered.

Outplayed and fearing defeat here in Delhi, the Pakistanis have been giving the umpires a torrid time for the last two days. The bowlers and fielders have appealed for everything.

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The third day could have been real nasty but for the cool approach from the umpires. Akram himself was guilty of pushing things beyond acceptable limits and he showed obviousdispleasure at appeals being turned down. It reached a stage where the umpire had to cool him down after an apparent argument with Saurav Ganguly. Umpire Jayaprakash, was the target of their ire.