Ticket Tussle: ODI Black Market Crackdown in Cuttack

In Cuttack, police arrested seven individuals for allegedly black marketeering tickets for the upcoming ODI match between India and England. Seized were 25 tickets, Rs 30,000 cash, phones, and motorcycles. Limited ticket availability has driven up demand, leading to stampede-like scenes outside Barabati stadium.

Police in Cuttack arrested seven individuals on charges of black marketeering as they seized 25 gallery tickets, cash, phones, and motorcycles ahead of the highly anticipated ODI between India and England at Barabati stadium. This comes in light of the high demand and limited ticket availability.

According to Cuttack DCP Jagmohan Meena, these arrests were part of a broader effort to curb illegal ticket sales. The perpetrators had been selling the tickets at inflated prices, with one case involving tickets priced at Rs 1,100 being sold for Rs 7,000 each.

The demand exceeded supply as only 24,000 out of the stadium’s 45,000 seats were made available to the public, with the rest reserved for VIPs. This scarcity led to heightened tensions among fans, causing near-stampede conditions outside ticket counters.