The Dirty Face of Kolkata Football

31
3417

Prayag United Fans beaten up brutally , Stands set on fire, buses ransacked

On 26th September 2011,Monday semifinal clash between East Bengal club and Prayag united sports club took place at Yuva Bharati Krirangran, Saltlake stadium,Kolkata. The match witnessed violent clashes between the fans of to rival clubs. Kolkata is known as the football capital of India, and clubs like  East Bengal,Mohun Bagan , Mohammedan Sporting has huge fan base . United Sports club in recent years proved their  mark not only in city’s football but also in Indian arena as well. This year the authorities and officials of Prayag United SC has have invested a lot to make the team a tittle contender and created fan base among the football lovers of city of joy.
On this account several fans including girls wearing Prayag T-Shirts,Scarfs visited the ground with musical instruments and hoisted club flags on the stands of the stadium. They were 5000 in number but they created a lighting atmosphere in the stadium,which is spectacular and rarely seen in Indian football.  They cheered for every attack of their club and celebrated their goal with loud shouts.
This occasion proved unbearable for so called BIG CLUB’S [BORO DOL] fans. Taking advantage of their large number of attendance they mercilessly  beat up Prayag fans. East Bengal fans burnt Prayag flags, light up fire in the Prayag’s gallery  they kicked United supporters out of the stadium ,throwed stones and shoes on them. Even ladies were also abused. At the end of the day’s play, the angry East Bengal mob questioned ”Who are Prayag fans? They all are Mohun Baganis , we won’t tolerate any others in our stadium”. To celebrate their victory Red and Gold fans ransacked United’s buses also. Brutally injured supporters of United SC admitted to the local hospital. Someone’s face, someone’s head was broken.
Prayag Fans not allowed to watch the match
After Messi’s arrival to ‘City of Joy’ everybody expected a change in Football stadium like Yuva Bharati, but the result is in front of you. For this reason many fans and followers of the Indian football have turned their back towards football grounds. And this scenario is going on from decades. Everybody is  blaming IFA officials, security forces  for this turmoil. But we the fans are responsible for this, it’s our mentality which causes problems . After yesterday’s experience if a football lover quits coming into the field who is responsible for that ? We deeply regret this cowardice act from a section of East Bengal fans and we urge to administration that please identify thes criminals and punish them strongly.
East Bengal fans burning Prayag flag
We, the East Bengal fans have been shown in bad light due to these hooligans who call themselves EB fans and bring insult to the club. We urge the sensible EB fans to stop others from doing these sort of activity.
NB: IFA was requested by Prayag to provide a separate gallery for their fans but IFA failed to do so. Thus the fans had to sit together which escalated tension between the 2 parties. So in reality, its the faliure of IFA. But even then, the violence is unjustified.
This article was sent to IFN by an East Bengal fan who wishes to be anonymous.
Image Courtesy: Prayag United SC


Click here to discuss about this article and hooliganism in Indian Football

31 COMMENTS

  1. Don Tigert

    Look this ripoffreport from ripoffreport.com Don Tigert Don Tigert Don Tigert Don Tigert Don Tigert Don Tigert sala rodd sala rodd sala rodd sala rodd sala rodd sala rodd sala rodd sala rodd park ward park ward park ward park ward park ward park ward p…

  2. @Rudra:disqus  : Please stick to the issue. Its okay not to use real name. What matters is the content.
    @baf7a20592599d4c69718cd7553a8b45:disqus  and @Blue:disqus  : Rudra is the real name, we were classmates since class 1, and he is a passionate football fan.

    Now back in the discussion : See, in every other state the football is dying. What happened in Salt lake is a team X beaten up supporters of team Y (and there is speculation that supporters of team Z were in team Y’s jersey) upon receiving provocation. Though I don’t support hooliganism, but look at the brighter side. It shows the passion and emotion behind football in Bengal. People in other state don’t care if their team looses or win, but we do. Starting from our dinner menu to breakfast discussion, all gets affected. The best way the prevent these to make sure fans choose separate stands.

    p.s: you can replace X Y Z with any teams, the theme remains same

    • well i fully agree with our comments there…but I just don’t to see such event being justified whether done by X Y or Z

  3. AIFF should have thought about this before selling tickets. There was no separate Prayag gallery .. this is wrong information given in the report. I don’t blame EB supporters  … this is a complete administrative failure.

    • Mohun bagan must be banned forever, they are the only non-terrorist organisation who spread racism!

      P.S.: I am not very sure about the non-terrorism part.

  4. There was no such thing as ‘Prayag gallery’.

    Do you have any idea what will happen if Arsenal and Man U supporters share the same gallery while watching a match against each other?

    No one must support violence but this is a common matter among football spectators.

    Prayag United requested for a separate gallery and entry gate for their supporters and which incompetent IFA failed to provide.

    Also Prayag supporters received the advantage of being a minority in number as the media have suppressed their activity and initial provocation.

    No one can tolerate the boo–s from opponent supporters after your favourite team have conceded a goal.

    FYI, an East Bengal supporter teenager (13/14) was also hurt from the stones thrown by the drunk ‘football lovers’ of Prayag United.

  5. Because of East Bengal fans the whole Kolkata football shouldn’t be blamed. Its very shameful incident. They anyway won because of referee’s mercy and then resort to violence…loooosers

    • Rudra (MB supporter)

      Perhaps Mohun Bagan fans have never come up with any sort of violence!

      They are the icons of Gandhian thought!!

      Perhaps world football hardly witnessed any such incidence before

        • Hey Rudra, say its a fed cup final, and Chirag is leading by 1-0 to MB, and am constantly booing(in contest of Yuvabharati, ma mashi udhar kora khisti)  MB fans who are large in numbers.  Suddenly MB score twice, will I be kept alive ? You know the impulsive excitement occurs over their. And in this regard you can separate MB EB or any other fans. They will all act same. IFA should have taken care.  

          • Are you trying to explain an MB fan?

            They have less interest in football and more interest in abusing Bangal community.

            •  You have no idea of what you are saying…I myself have bangal roots…and I always criticize when MB fans do the same….I would congratulate the writer who is an EB fan still wrote this…. if u have courage then use your real name to argue all this

              • What is your real name..? Rudra.? ok my real name is Clinton.. whom are you trying to fool.. in the  webosphere.. just a name is not an indicator of your real identity so stop fooling around.. let me see your facebook profile or even an email id to .. proof your point.. 

              • Dude I am an author in the website just check my name in the author list. You can track me from there quite well

          • See it doesn’t matter what MB had done…what is happening is the main problem, whoever does it will be criticised, this time EB did it so EB will be criticized. Period.

        • First you’ll commit a crime and then you’d come to criticize the same kind of action! true colours of MB!!

        • Rudra. .. stop cribbing on internet forum.. Football hooliganism is nothing new and pretty much common all across the world… such is the passion for the game.. loss of life is certainly not welcome.. or even injury to supporters.. but both parties have to be blamed instead just EB fans…bangla te ekta katha aache.. tali ek haat e baje na.. 

          • then where shall I crib? I write thats my job..if I crib in front of those hooligans, then won’t be given the same treatment?

        • ki bhai rudra 2009 er league r final match ta bhule gele against cirag,ar sedin gallery te kara chhilo seta sobay jane,sudhu faltu kotha bole post bariye labh ache??? 

    • Remember MB players (Barreto & Chiddi) bit the Chirag United players last year?

      Remember Mohun Bagan managing referees to win 2007 and 2009 CFL?

      Remember hooliganism by MB supporters who thrashed their own players’ vehicles?

      • oigulo ektao prayag fans chilo na…pragay ei toh sobbe esche kolkata r main event e….prayag er fan hote gele the fans should age 6 to 7 yrs old.. bt all of them were mohun bagani fans…….and its football…when we lost against mohun bagan in 2008 semis their fans abused us….and i again quote there were no female fans in prayag gallery…..and who told them to sit on our side of the gallery???why didint ifa issued separate gate for them….and those were mohun baganis thats for sure……and mark my words those shameles fans will again come on the final wearing salgaocar’s jersey…..

Leave a Reply to guest1 Cancel reply