Bhubaneswar: In a crackdown, Saheed Nagar Police in Bhubaneswar claimed to have busted a racket involving blackmarketing of tickets for the ongoing FIH Men's Hockey World Cup here in Odisha and arrested five persons in this connection here today. The accused were identified as Saroj Sethi (23), Saroj Kumar Bal (37), Lingaraj Mohanty (31),  Md Tahim and Rashmi Ranjan Sahu (32). They were reportedly selling tickets in black for the match between India and Wales to be played at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar scheduled on January 19 and two other subsequent matches.

Sources said all five of them were taking advantage of the enthusiasm of the public to watch the hockey match and using social media to target prospective customers who would be willing to buy the tickets at exorbitant prices.

The deals were being sealed over messaging apps and tickets of  Rs 100 were sold for Rs 1000, Rs 200 tickets for Rs 2000 and Rs 500 tickets for Rs 4,000. Police, on getting reliable tip-off about the racket, launched a secret operation near Kalinga Stadium today and also seized the sale proceeds of the tickets while arresting the accused.

As many as 35 ongoing Hockey World Cup tickets were seized along with Rs 10,300 cash. The matches of the 15th edition of the FIH Men's Hockey World Cup, which commenced on January 13 will continue till January 29 are being held at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar and newly-built Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela.