The C stand was not opened for the spectators at the Green Park Stadium on Friday. (Express Photo by Pratyush Raj)
Langurs and their handlers have been hired by the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) to end the food-grabbing menace of monkeys at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur, the venue of the second Test match between India and Bangladesh.
According to venue director Sanjay Kapoor, broadcast camera persons in the stands are at the highest risk of monkeys stealing with their snacks and drinks. “To avoid the terror of monkeys, we have langurs (long-tailed leaf monkeys) to take care of them,” Kapoor said.
The services of Langurs have been hired in the past too at international cricket matches at Kanpur.
The raised stand just beyond the boundary line used by television crew to place the camera at the stadium and record the match was covered with black cloth at the back and on either side to reduce the chances of monkeys getting access to eatables.
Rohit Sharma of India and Najmul Hossain Shanto of Bangladesh at toss during day one of the second test match between India and Bangladesh held at the Green Park – Cricket Ground, Kanpur, India on the 27th September 2024
Photo by Deepak Malik/ Sportzpics for BCCI
Stand closed to spectators
The C Stand at the Green Park Stadium was closed for spectators on Friday, the first day of the Test match, as it was deemed unfit by the Uttar Pradesh Public Works Department (PWD).
The Indian Express reported that the stand would be closed on Tuesday after there were safety concerns about the upper block stand, which has a capacity of 4,800.
On the eve of the Test match, Kapoor told the media: “PWD and Harcourt Butler Technical University also conducted their inspection three days before the match and found that some seats in C block cannot be used for spectators as it is not safe. About 1750 seats of the upper block are still available for spectators,” Kapoor had said.
