Thappad to Chappell

Jan 23, 2007

Oriya Rap: Chappell gets thappad

B D NARAYANKAR

Bangalore: Even as the Orissa police was trying to cover up the alleged slapping of India’s cricket coach Greg Chappell on Monday by a protester at the Biju Patnaik airport at Bhubaneshwar fearing media backlash, the BCCI confirmed the incident.

BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah told that “Biranchi Mehraj, a political activist belonging to Kalinga Sena, broke through a group of journalists and cricket fans at the airport and slapped Chappell for not including a player from Orissa in the India squad. Chappell complained to me about the incident, but does not want to persue the matter,’’ Shah said.

Asked as to who was responsible for the security lapse, without naming the Orissa police, Shah said the BCCI has taken necessary steps to avoid recurrence such an incident in the future. “Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has assured to provide security to the Indian and West Indian players. I have also instructed the Orissa Cricket Association (OCA) to beef up security in the stadium,’’ he said.

Speaking to this Correspondent from Bhubaneshwar, Inspector General of Police & DIG, Bhubaneshwar range, V B Khurania denied that Chappell had been slapped. “An attempt was made to hit Chappell, but Mehraj fell over the security cordon. He is now in police custody,’’ he said.

Asked whether the BCCI and Chappell had lodged a complaint, Khurania replied in the negative. “But Mehraj has already tendered an apology to Chappell,’’ he added.

Khurania admitted there was a breach in security. Khurdha SP Amitabh Thakur has already tendered an apology to Chappell for the incident. “There was no vested interest in the attempted assault, but the person sought to gain cheap publicity,’’ he said.