Bangalore, October 18: While the Champions League T20 matches were supposed to begin at 4 pm on Saturday, ‘action’ at the M Chinnaswamy stadium here began much earlier.
The police cordoned off the KSCA Club House before detaining a Jammu & Kashmir U-22 player after explosive detectors at the stadium indicated the presence of some explosives in his bag. The player, however, was released after nothing was found in his possession.
Parvez Rasool arrived in Bangalore on Friday evening along with his teammates to play Karnataka in the CK Nayudu Trophy. Interestingly, the detector had indicated the presence of explosives near the stadium right from Friday evening.
By Saturday morning, the police zeroed in on Room No.105 — where Rasool was staying — and confiscated Rasool’s kit bag. The police immediately detained the player and and his roommate Mehraj, interrogated the duo and sent the bag for forensic tests.
“When police officials entered the room, the detector pointed towards Rasool’s bag. However, no explosives were found. Even then, as a measure of precaution, we took the player into custody. His antecedents are being verified from the Jammu and Kashmir police,” Bangalore police commissioner Shankar Bidari told reporters.
The two players, who were detained from 9 am to around 5.30 pm, were released as no explosives were found in their possession.
However, the incident had a major impact on the first match of the day. After the news reached the team hotel, players from the Victoria Bushrangers and the Cape Cobras were understandably reluctant to leave for the stadium.
The officials did their bit by having the stadium surveyed not once but twice. The spectators, too, were let in after thorough security checks.
The players were assured that all was well and they agreed to leave the hotel only after security officials briefed them. Thanks to the delay, the match was reduced to a 17-overs-a-side affair.
Meanwhile, Cape Cobras opener Herschelle Gibbs pulled out of the Champions League Twenty20 on Saturday.
Cobras skipper Andrew Puttick said, “He (Gibbs) said he will not be able to deliver his best under the given circumstances (bomb scare).” Coach Shukri Conrad sais, “It’s his (Gibbs) personal decision and we have to respect it.”
–Agencies–