Yellow under duress: Threats fail to dim zeal

For fans, Tuesday was momentous for a reason to do with sport. CSK was walking back into the M. A. Chidambaram stadium after a gap of two years, and they wore the yellow to welcome the players. But many of the fans were threatened for wearing the CSK jersey.

On the way to the stadium, The Hindu’s correspondents witnessed protesters stopping an autorickshaw in which two young boys wearing yellow CSK t-shirts were travelling. The protesters forced them to remove their t-shirts.

“Where are you going? Don’t go to the match!” the protesters called out to those headed towards the stadium near Wallajah Road turning on Anna Salai. Some protesters were even wielding hockey sticks and lathis to scare away the audience. But soon a team of State police personnel came with their lathis and that dispersed the mob.

Anyone sporting a yellow CSK jersey was stopped en route. A shop-owner selling CSK t-shirts on Wallajah Road, near the stadium, said that protesters tore up some of his stock and told him to shut shop. Only after police protection was deployed and the protesters brought under control could he open his store again.

Support for players

Hardcore fans persisted and made it inside the stadium, in time for the match. As the first wicket of Kolkata Knight Riders, batting first, fell in the first over, the whole stadium roared in delight, encouraging the home team.