Former cricketers Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag and present opener Shikhar Dhawan condemned the assault on Amit Bhandari, who was attacked by a group of people on Monday. Bhandari, who is chairman of the DDCA senior selection committee, was assaulted by a group of unidentified men, led by a rejected U-23 player, during the Delhi senior team's practice game at the St Stephen's ground.
Gambhir was left fuming after the incident took place and ensures that he will see to the matter personally. Gambhir took to Twitter as he wrote,'Disgusted to see this happen right in the heart of the Capital. This can’t slip under the carpet and I will personally ensure it doesn’t. To begin with I am calling for a life ban from all cricket for the player who orchestrated this attack post his non-selection.
Former cricketer Virender Sehwag also took to Twitter to express his anger and hopes for 'adequate measures' to be taken against the culprit. Sehwag wrote,'The attack on Delhi selector Amit Bhandari for not picking a player is a new low and I am hopeful that stringent action will be taken against the culprit and adequate measures will be taken to avoid such incidents.'
Team India opener Shikhar Dhawan also reacted the to the incident.'I can't believe this has happened to @Amitbhandari110 bhaiya. It is sad, shocking and cowardly. This needs urgent investigation and the strictest action should be taken against the culprits.'
"Bhandari has been admitted to Sant Parmanand Hospital with head and leg injuries. He is out of danger," Deputy Commissioner of Police Nupur Prasad said.
The incident occurred around 1.30 p.m. at the St. Stephen's Ground in north Delhi when one Shukhwinder Singh, accomplice of Bhandari informed police that a group of 10-15 youth assaulted the former India pacer with sticks and cricket bats.
THe DDCA chief selector, chairperson of Syed Mushtaq Ali T-20 tournament for Delhi Under-23 team, said in a statement that he was attacked by one Anuj Dheda and his other 14 accomplices after he did not select him, the police officer said.
"We have arrested Anuj Dheda and his accomplice Naveen from their hideout. Efforts are on to arrest other accomplices," the DCP said.
DDCA President Rajat Sharma has assured that strict action will be taken against the attackers of Bhandari.
DDCA President Rajat Sharma met Bhandari at the hospital and said that guilty will not be spared.
"I have personally spoken to the Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik. The guilty will not go unpunished. We will register an FIR," Rajat Sharma said.
"He is very shaken and it is natural. The doctors have advised that he should be kept under observation for 24 hours as a precautionary measure."
"The goons were pressurising him to select a player, who had failed to get into the U-23 team on merit. Bhandari claimed that the one man also threatened him with a revolver. This is shameful that an honest selector was being prevented from performing his duties. I have been told that one person has been detained for questioning," Rajat Sharma added.
Bhandari sustained head and ear injuries and was taken to Sant Paramanand Hospital at Civil Lines by his colleague Sukhvinder Singh. The goons along with the player in question fled before the cops could reach the spot.
