Cauvery row: Homecoming cut short! CSK's IPL 2018 matches moved out of Chennai
Chennai: Just a day after Chennai Super Kings’ happy homecoming at MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chepauk) as they defeated Kolkata Knight Riders in the last-over thriller on Tuesday, the cricket fans in Chennai are dealt with a big blow as MS Dhoni-led CSK’s home games are shifted out of the city following protests over Cauvery row.
While the protesters had tried to disrupt the game on Tuesday, the match went ahead. However, a shoe was hurled where Ravindra Jadeja was fielding during the KKR’s innings.
On Tuesday, three Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) workers were detained for hurling shoes inside the Chepauk stadium, Chennai, during an ongoing Indian Premier League between the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) here on Tuesday.
NTK, a Tamil nationalist party in the state, which among other protesters, is demanding a boycott of the IPL matches in Chennai until the Cauvery water issues is solved.
The political parties in the state have been protesting against the Centre's negligence in the formation of Cauvery Management Board (CMB).
Before the ninth over of the KKR innings, a shoe was hurled where Ravindra Jadeja was fielding as CSK officials and police manned the boundary rope. Later, Faf du Plessis, who was not a part of the playing XI, was seen carrying the shoe out of the field of play.
Earlier on Tuesday, IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla also met Union Home Secretary Rajeev Gauba and demanded enhanced security arrangements during the matches in Chennai.
"Today I meet with the home security and discussed the security concerns with him. He spoke to the director general of police and given instructions for security to the spectators and players to avoid any untoward incident," Shukla told ANI.
The IPL chairman added that the plan is to conduct all matches in Chennai and it is on the police to handle protests.
He said, "We are trying that those matches should take place in Chennai itself. There is no plan to move the matches to other states. Tamil Nadu government has assured that full-fledged security will be provided during the matches."
"If there will be any issue than the Tamil Nadu government will have to look for a plan B," Shukla added.
It is to be noted that IPL has returned to Chepauk stadium after two years where the home franchise Chennai Super Kings took on Kolkata Knight Riders in the fifth match of the 2018 fixture.
