Three injured in border rush for India-Pakistan cricket match by AFP

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Event:

India in Pakistan 2005/06

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DateLine: 12th February 2006

 

Three people were injured Sunday when thousands of people rushed to cross over from India to Pakistan for a cricket match between the two South Asian rivals, officials said.

 

"We have called the police to avert any untoward situation, as the crowd had become ad-tempered," said an immigration official, who declined to be named.

 

The official said that three people were taken to hospital with minor injuries after people started throwing stones at officials at the road crossing between India and Pakistan near the northern Indian city of Amritsar.

 

Around 3,000 people had lined up since dawn at the border post, 25 kilometres (15 miles), from Amritsar to cross by foot into Pakistan and then on to Lahore, a distance of about 20 kilometers, for the third one-day international between the two teams on Monday.

 

The official said that on seeing the large number of people, border post staff closed the entry gate, infuriating the fans who then broke through the gate to reach the immigration office.

 

Immigration officials fled in panic and the crowd hurled stones at the office, smashing windows and triggering a minor stampede.

 

"It was difficult for the Custom and Immigration staff to clear the crowd of three thousand people at once," the official said.

 

He said officials were hoping to process all the visitors to Pakistan by the end of the day.

 

The one-day series started last Monday in the Pakistani city of Peshawar and concludes next Sunday in Karachi.

(Article: Copyright © 2006 AFP)