Youth held for selling Ind-Pak match tkts in black

Cricket fever reached its peak on Sunday as scores of fans lined up outside the PCA stadium hoping to catch a glimpse of their favourite stars while some searched desperately for non-existent tickets for the high-voltage semi-final between India and Pakistan in Mohali on Sunday.

Thousands of fans lined up outside the stadium, where a battery of electronic mediapersons were stationed with their OB vans giving live feeds and news updates ahead of the match.

Fans were desperately searching for tickets of the 28,000 capacity stadium, not realizing that 16,000 of those earmarked for the general public had been sold out as early as Tuesday.

Chandigarh police, meanwhile, arrested three youngsters from near Chandigarh's IT Park for allegedly trying to sell some tickets at astronomical prices in the black market.

Chandigarh Police sources said the accused were in the age group of 18-20 years.

Police said that the accused had two tickets of Rs 250 each and one ticket of Rs 500, which they were trying to sell for Rs 5,000-Rs 6,000.

A trap was laid and a decoy customer was sent after which the arrests were made, the sources said.

Police are also keeping a strict watch on those trying to cash-in on the high craze among the fans to watch the semis after news of black marketing of tickets emerged.

Allegations are ripe that tickets priced at Rs 250 have risen to Rs 3,000 while Rs 1,000 priced tickets have been selling for Rs 10,000 in the black market.