IPL 2019: Police at the Chepauk resort to mild lathi-charge to control the crowd ahead of CSK-MI clash

The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) are set to face-off for the second time this season on Friday. No wonder this is one of the most exhilarating rivalries over the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Mumbai is the only team to beat CSK 15 times while no other team has even managed to go past the Chennai side more than seven times.

Both the teams have won the title three times each and the excitement among the fans ahead of the game is absolutely understandable. With Mumbai winning the earlier face-off this season, the Chennai fans want their team to avenge for the defeat and they queued up to buy the tickets from Tuesday night itself. The police, however, instructed them to come on Wednesday morning.

Stampede like situation

When the ticket sale got underway at the Chepauk on Wednesday, the crowd went out of the control with hundreds of youth queuing up. The crowd swelled to such an extent that even the barricades couldn’t contain them and the police had to resort to mild lathi-charge. “There was a stampede-like situation. We had to lathi-charge without inflicting major injuries,” a senior police officer was quoted as saying by The Hindu.

According to police, the people from Lock Nagar and Mattankuppam came in large and they created a commotion which prevented genuine fans from getting tickets. Even Women were part of this as they tried to sell the tickets at the higher rates to the crowd.

The situation seems to be under control now and one can expect a full house when two of the franchise powerhouses clash at the Chepauk for the first time since 2015. Mumbai won that encounter and more importantly, CSK is yet to win against MI since 2010. Only time will tell if they will be able to get past Rohit Sharma‘s troops.

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