Cricket match quarrel turns violent in Greater Noida; one critically injured in gunfire

Cricket is often termed as a religion in India but there are times when this religion witnesses its darker sides as well. On August 29, a deadly clash broke out between two groups at Jarcha, Greater Noida, over a children’s cricket match which led to the injury to many people. The clash saw gunfire and hurling of bricks in which Mohammad Rizwan was critically injured. Apart from him, three others – Naseem, Mohammad Arif, Waqil Khan and Umar Khan – were also injured and admitted to hospital.

Five people were booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code after the fighting which broke out over a supposed quest to display superiority. It was learnt that a quarrel started between Iliyas, a resident of Kalonda, and Mohammad Abbas during the match and soon it snowballed into a huge ruckus and saw arms were brought in to target each other.

“We received a police control room call about firing and stone pelting in the area at 7 am in Kalonda village. The fight started when children belonging to the village were playing a cricket match,” a DNA report quoted Krishan Kumar Rana, station house officer, Jarcha police station, as saying. Among the injured, Rizwan suffered a bullet injury and is fighting for his life in the hospital.

“Prima facie, it appears that the fight was to show superiority as after firing both the groups then assaulted each other with bricks and sticks. Based on the complaint filed by Mohammad Intezar, Rizwan’s uncle, we have booked five persons under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC),” Rana said, adding that teams were formed to catch the accused who were at large after the incident.

The accused have been charged under sections 307 (attempt to murder), 147, 148 and 149 (rioting, rioting with deadly weapon and unlawful assembly) of the IPC. The accused have been charged under sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 147, 148 and 149 (rioting, rioting with deadly weapon and unlawful assembly) of the Indian penal code.

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