Neighbour alleges ex-india pacer Praveen beat him up
MEERUT: Former India pacer Praveen Kumar has denied allegations by his neighbour that he beat him up and pushed his seven-year-old son here on Saturday. The man, Deepak Sharma, alleged Kumar attacked them in an inebriated state following an altercation while his son was getting off a bus.
Superintendent of Police, Akhilesh Narayan, said: “Both are neighbours and they have informed the police about the incident. We are investigating the matter based on their statements. Further action will be taken accordingly. The medical process has also been done.”
Sharma claimed the police had refused to register his complaint and had instead asked him to approach higher authorities as the case related to an international cricketer. Kumar played six Tests, 68 ODIS and 10 T20s for the country, between 2008 and 2012. He last played for Uttar Pradesh in January 2018.
According to Sharma, the bus had stopped to drop the boy when Kumar, who reached there in his car, started honking to get the bus to move aside. The cricketer reportedly stepped out of his car and protested that the road was being blocked.
“I was waiting for my son at the bus stop at 3:00 pm. Kumar arrived at the spot, came out of his car and abused the bus driver first and later me. He was in an inebriated condition. Later, he thrashed me and fractured my hand. Kumar also pushed my son, who has suffered an injury in his back. Now the police are forcing me to compromise. I have started receiving death threats,” Sharma said.
Kumar denied attacking Sharma, and claimed it was he who was hit. “I was an international cricketer. I have two kids—a daughter and a son. I have never killed an ant, why would I beat a boy? The boy’s father Deepak Sharma, who is my neighbour, thrashed me when I alighted from my car last evening near my home,” he told ANI.