An argument over a refused penalty appeal at a local football game led to clashes between two neighbourhoods in the Ultadanga-Eastern Metropolitan Bypass area between Sunday night and Monday morning, leaving seven people injured.
One of the groups, from VRS-3 colony, comprised Argentinian supporters, while those in the other, from Sree colony, supported Brazil. Cops said the organizers (from Sree colony) — was not even a competing team.
Witness Prashanta Pradhan said, “Those involved in the fight brought out cricket bats and hockey sticks and ransacked six houses and vandalized vehicles. Seven people, including a senior citizen, were injured.”
Bagmari Suhad Sangha at Sree Colony had organized a two-day three-a-side tournament coinciding with the World Cup. “We host this tournament every year. This year, teams from as far as Madhyamgram participated because of the World Cup. Our neighbours, VRS-3 quarters, sent two teams under the Pragati Sangha banner,” said Buo Thakur, a local.
They were down 0-2 in a quarter final match with a Duttabad team when they appealed for a penalty and the referee turned it down. The clash began right after and went on till Monday morning with the argument ending on a violent note.
Cops are probing the organisers and localites with regards to the role of 25 people from both camps.
The fandom for football in Kolkata is excessively overwhelming and it comes as no surprise that the members of the respective teams as stout believers in their supposed football religion battered each other over a penalty with the scuffle escalating to the extent of severities.