Image Credit- PTI
The captain of Karnataka, Mayank Agarwal, was brought
to a private hospital in Agartala on Tuesday after complaining of burning in
his mouth and throat and stomach problems after swallowing something from a
bottle he thought contained drinking water while on an IndiGo aircraft.
Agarwal was flying from Agartala to Surat via New
Delhi on Tuesday night in preparation for Karnataka’s Ranji Trophy fifth-round
match against Railways, which gets underway on Friday. After throwing up on
board, Agarwal was taken off the plane and taken to the hospital as the other
members of the Karnataka team resumed their journey.
ILS Hospitals, where Agarwal was admitted to, later
confirmed that he is “clinically stable” and being “clinically
monitored”. They said that Agarwal was experiencing some “oral
irritation” and “swelling on the lips”. He will be under
observation for 24 hours.
The physicians caring for Agarwal and representatives
of the Tripura Cricket Association (TCA) are in communication with the
Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA).
On behalf of Agarwal, the Karnataka team management
has also asked the Tripura police to look into the matter. A case has been
filed under the purview of the New Capital Complex Police Station in Agartala,
and a signed written complaint has been sent to K Kiran Kumar, Superintendent
of Police (Tripura West).
“While sitting on a flight, he saw a pouch in
front of him and thinking of it as water, drank it,” Kiran told PTI.
“He had swelling and ulcers in his mouth. His condition is normal, and his
vitals are stable. His manager has made a complaint. We are registering the
complaint and will investigate the matter.”
In a press statement, IndiGo confirmed that the flight
had to return to Agartala due to a medical emergency: “IndiGo flight 6E
5177 operating from Agartala to Delhi returned to origin due to a medical
emergency onboard. The passenger was offloaded and was rushed to the hospital
for further medical assistance. The aircraft took off again for its destination
at 1620h.”
This season, Agarwal has already amassed two hundreds
and fifty runs. After two victories, one tie, and one loss in their last four
games, Karnataka is presently ranked second in Group C. The team’s designated
vice-captain, 23-year-old hitter Nikin Jose, is expected to assume the
captaincy.