'I fell ill and the police brought me to the hospital. Now I am feeling much better. My name is Roby and I have come from Bangladesh.'
A Bangladeshi cricket fan who goes by the name 'Tiger Roby' was allegedly beaten by unidentified individuals at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur on Friday.
The incident occurred during Day 1 of the 2nd Test between India and Bangladesh when Roby was sitting in stand C.
However, in a statement issued by him later, he said he merely felt unwell.
'I fell ill and the police brought me to the hospital. Now I am feeling much better. My name is Roby and I have come from Bangladesh,' PTI quoted him saying in a short video clip from his hospital bed.
Abhishek Pandey, ACP (Kalyanpur), said Roby received immediate medical care and insisted that he had not been assaulted as alleged in early reports.
According to reports, police promptly responded to the situation and rushed him to a hospital while an investigation is underway.
Tiger Roby was allegedly hit on the lower abdomen by some spectators at the Green Park Stadium.
The reactions to the incident were prompt on social media.
'Bangladesh cricket team's 'super fan' Tiger Roby was allegedly beaten up by some people during the India-Bangladesh 2nd Test in Kanpur, UP. This is completely against 'Atithi Devo Bhava' & damaging to Sports. BCCI must take action,' tweeted one Veena Jain.
'Bangladesh cricket team's 'super fan' Tiger Roby was allegedly beaten up by some people during the 2nd Test. He was taken to hospital by the police. Such a shameful act by Indians. Unacceptable!' one Abdullah Neaz tweeted.
One Bangladesh cricket fan, Naimur Rahman tweeted: 'Tiger Robi beaten up in gallery in Kanpur, India.The supporters of India did.Fainted on the street! The police rescued him and sent him to the hospital. We strongly condemn and protest.'
Popular cricket influencer Johns tweeted: 'Bangladeshi fan Tiger Roby - In Chennai he was openly shouting India=enemy, ICC=BCCI.- In Kanpur he abused Siraj. Kanpur crowd had it enough and replied him in a language he understands. Now entire Bangladesh is playing victim card as usual.'
During an interaction with media, he used signs to indicate that he had been punched in his abdomen during an altercation.
Later, PTI reported that an Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association official said Roby could not communicate the exact sequence of events but it was clear that he was in distress.
"As he came out of the stands, he was wincing in pain and seemed to be fainting. He was given a chair to sit but he fell," the official said.
A police officer present at the stadium said the fan was provided first aid and an ambulance was called for him.
"We do not know if he was hit by somebody. We have a constable in that stand to keep an eye on the fans. We could not understand what he was saying. Probably he had pain.
"The ambulance was taking some time to arrive so the in-stadia medical team has taken him to a nearby facility," the officer said.
