DU basketball team forced to throw game at gunpoint

NEW DELHI: Basketball teams which went to Varanasi to compete in the All-India Inter-University championship have alleged that they were forced to forfeit their matches against the hosts due to intimidation by armed goons who threatened to kill if they didn't lose.

The Delhi University basketball team, North Zone champions and one of the teams expected to win the all-India tourney organized at Banaras Hindu University from January 27 to February 1, quit their semi-final against the hosts after the third quarter, amid threats and unfair play.

DU captain Harish Dahiya told TOI that the intimidation was unrelenting. "During night practice sessions, the floodlights would go off and bombs would be thrown at us. Another time, they pointed guns to our faces and told us to lose the match or face the consequences," he said.

And it wasn't just the DU squad that complained. Teams from Jaipur, Chennai and Pune also said their players were threatened at gunpoint. The Satyabhama University team from Chennai is considering going to court.

"It was total goondaraaj at BHU and it was being organized and encouraged by BHU officials themselves. There were two local teams from Varanasi and the officials wanted both to advance to the final. They threatened and manipulated every team that they played against," alleged Delhi University team manager and SAI coach Ajay Kumar Singh.

BHU won the title after defeating MG Kashi Vidyapeeth.