Four arrested in Cuttack for ‘black-marketing’ Ind vs SA Barabati T20 tickets; police launch crackdown

The Twin City Commissionerate Police arrested four persons in Cuttack on charges of black-marketing match tickets ahead of the India–South Africa T20 game scheduled at Barabati Stadium.

According to police, the accused were selling tickets and passes at prices higher than the printed value. Officials stated that Bidanasi Police arrested two persons while Dargha Bazaar Police arrested two others in separate actions under their respective police limits.

Sources added that a total of 21 tickets and passes were seized from the accused during the operations, and the four individuals were subsequently forwarded to court. The arrested persons were allegedly selling tickets and passes for the December 9 match at inflated rates in violation of the authorised pricing.

According to the information provided by the respective police stations, the seizures included match entry passes in addition to printed tickets recovered during the arrests.

Complaints Of Inflated Rates

Earlier, on December 5 and 6, allegations of large-scale black-marketing had surfaced around Barabati Stadium. Videos circulated on social media purportedly showed Rs 700 tickets being offered for prices ranging between Rs 3,500 and Rs 15,000.

The visuals, widely circulated on platforms such as X, showed roadside bargaining and individuals alleging that official ticket stocks had exhausted shortly after counters opened for the public.

Reports from the spot stated that crowds had assembled outside the stadium hours before the 9 am opening of counters on December 5 and that only limited numbers of tickets appeared at the authorised windows.

Some spectators alleged that middlemen were offering tickets for several times the printed price near entry routes leading up to the stadium. According to information available at the venue, around 2,000 tickets were made available online, while the remaining portions were routed through physical counters, resulting in high demand when distribution began.

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The India–South Africa T20 match at Barabati Stadium in Cuttack is scheduled for December 9. The two teams are scheduled to hold practice sessions today at the stadium at different times of the day.