Mumbai, Apr 20: A cricket tournament final in Maharashtra’s Jalgaon district ended in chaos when a local politician allegedly drove a tractor onto the pitch and vandalised it as he was angry over not being invited, officials said.
The incident occurred on April 12 during the final of the MLA Trophy cricket tournament in Dharangaon, more than 400 km from Mumbai.
According to officials, the leader—who serves as the Dharangaon municipal council president—was upset about not being invited to the event by the organisers.
A video of the incident, which has since gone viral, shows the man driving a tractor onto the playing field, churning up the turf and rendering the pitch unplayable. Players, organisers, and spectators were left stunned as the situation escalated rapidly.
“The council president acted in a fit of rage,” an official said on Sunday.
The match was immediately called off due to unsafe playing conditions, raising concerns about the security arrangements for teams from Dharangaon and nearby villages.
Local police reached the spot promptly and brought the situation under control, the official said.
No complaint was lodged as organisers decided not to escalate the matter, the official added.
