I-League: Bagan-Churchill match postponed

The I-League match between Mohun Bagan and Churchill Brothers, scheduled to be held at Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Salt Lake on Thursday, has been postponed due to security concerns.

With a lot of VVIPs, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, arriving in the city to visit the ailing Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Jyoti Basu, Kolkata Police advised the state football association to postpone the match.

"A lot of VVIPs are coming to the city and the police will be busy manning them. Due to security concerns the match now has been postponed. We are working out as to when we can organise the game," IFA secretary Utpal Ganguli said.

Mohun Bagan, however were disappointed by the move.

"This is not a Mohun Bagan-East Bengal match. Supporters will be one-sided and ten policemen are enough for security. Without any proper reason, they have postponed the match," a miffed Mohun Bagan general secretary Anjan Mitra said.

He further quipped that in New Delhi there is always a movement of VVIPs, including the President. "So should no match be conducted in the capital?" Mitra asked.

Mohun Bagan were scheduled to play Churchill Brothers in their round nine I-League encounter on Thursday.