School Cricket Star Dhanawade Detained For Not Vacating Ground

Pranav Dhanawade is known for scoring 1009 runs in an innings in an inter-school match in Mumbai.

Pranav Dhanawade scored 1009 in a school match. (Photo: Jigar Mehta/Twitter)

Known for his 1009-run knock in an innings, cricketer Pranav Dhanawade on Sunday claimed that he was forcefully taken to the police station for not vacating the cricket ground in Kalyan, where Union Minister Prakash Javadekar was supposed to ‘land’, reported NDTV. He also said that a senior police inspector abused him and his father, who was also taken to the police station.

The young cricketers were told to vacate the Subhash Maidan as a politician’s chopper was going to land on the makeshift helipad constructed on the ground, Pranav’s father Prashant told Hindustan Times.

We were practicing and were in last stage of our practice. Police told us to evacuate. We agreed to leave after two minutes but they reacted arrogantly.

Pranav Dhanawade

Javadekar however later said that he was completely “unaware” of this “condemnable” incident. He also said that he always maintained that sport fields shouldn't be used as helipads.

Pranav and the others stopped training immediately and packed their bags. They were just stretching about 10-15 feet away from the helipad when the cops came again and asked them why they were still loitering around. Pranav told them that they would leave in five minutes after finishing their stretching exercises. At this point, the cops lost their cool and dragged Pranav by the collar and bundled him into a police van. I had also reached the ground by then and they threw me also into the van for questioning them. No other kid was picked up.

Prashant Dhanawade, Pranav’s father

The police, however, denied the boy’s claims. They said that the “cricketers disrespected us and used foul language. We told them to behave properly.” Javadekar has now changed his travelling plans and will be going to Kalyan by road, and not in a helicopter.

Also Read:
Pranav’s School Team Declares, 15-Year-Old Stays Unbeaten on 1009
1000-Run Scorer Pranav Dhanawade is a Special Kid: MS Dhoni
Sachin Tendulkar Gifts his Bat to Record-Maker Pranav Dhanawade

(With inputs from ANI, NDTV and Hindustan Times.)