Hockey World Cup 2023: 5 arrested for ticket black marketing in Bhubaneswar

Police arrested five persons in the Odisha capital on the charge of black marketing tickets for Men's Hockey World Cup matches being held here, an officer said on Wednesday.

The special team of the police arrested five persons after it was informed that a group of people were indulging in black marketing of tickets for the matches at Kalinga Stadium.

The five persons including four businessmen were arrested by the personnel of Sahdeed Nagar police station, he said.

Odisha's Sports and Youth Affairs Minister T K Behera said, "There has been huge craze for the January 19 India match against Wales as India has won its first match against Spain on January 13 and also scored a draw against England."

The minister said strict action will be taken as per the law against those involved in black marketing of world cup match tickets.

Santosh Mishra, a sports lover said: "The black marketing of tickets is due to small number of seats at Kalinga Stadium. All the people want to see India in action and therefore a huge demand for tickets."

Umakanta Rout, who came all along from Kendrapara, 100 km from Bhubaneswar, to watch India match at Kalinga Stadium, is frustrated.

"I could not get a ticket online, Therefore, I rushed to Bhubaneswar a day before the match to find all counters having writings that all tickets are sold. It is really frustrating," he said.

While Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela has a seating capacity of 21,000, the number of seats is only 15,000 at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. Therefore, a huge demand keeping in view the population of the city and nearby districts, said Sanjib Das, a sports journalist.

According to sources, the gang was selling the Rs 100, and Rs 200 tickets for Rs 1,000 and Rs 2,200 respectively outside the stadium. The ticket priced at Rs 500 was sold at the rate of Rs 4,000, they said.

The police could nab the gang as they had posted that they were selling the tickets at higher rates. Once they received any message from interested person, they text them to arrive near Kalinga Stadium to collect the tickets after paying the amount.

The FIH Men's Hockey World Cup, which began on January 13 will continue till January 29. The matches are being played at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar and newly-built Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela.