Dhoni Stumps Cop

This story just so happened that I was covering the IPL match between the Bangalore Royal Challengers and the Chennai Super Kings that at the end of the game Shivamani along with his troupe ran into the ground and a police constable in mufti tried to stop him than a spat happened between the Indian cricket team captain M S Dhoni and the cop. I quickly started to freeze them in my camera. The next day when I tried to ask DCP B N S Reddy who is a good friendof mine, told me how Dhoni apologized and also gifted a batting gloves to the cop later. This was a great story and I thanked Reddy and requested him to put me onto the constable which he readly obliged, later I thanked him for the great IPL story he had given me and my co-writer Niranjan.

At the IPL match between the Chennai Super Kings and Bangalore Royal Challengers, the Indian and Chennai skipper M S Dhoni was bowled over by a constable’s sincerity and sense of duty.

All the melodrama will be etched in his memory for a long time to come. And there is the memento too that constable Shivakumar will cherish for ever, First an altercation with none other that Indian cricket Captain Mahender Singh Dhoni and, then, as the marquee cricketer realized that Shivakumar was just doing his duty the profuse apologies followed by the spontaneous gifting away of his batting gloves, still drenched in sweat and with his initials on it, to the dumb-struck cop.

Constable Shivakumar stops Shivamani and his troupe from setting up the drums in the center of the field soon after the Chennai Super kings beat the Bangalore Royal Challengers.

As one of the security men on duty during a IPL match between the Royal Challengers and the Super Kings at the Chinnaswamy stadium, scarcely could Shivkumar have expected all this to happen. The whole incident spanning less than a minute became a memorable experience for Shivakumar, a constable at the Special Branch of Cubbon Park police station. As soon as Royal Challengers’ Praveen Kumar was declared run out, the ecstatic cheerleading team of Chennai Super kings led by ace drummer Shivamani rushed on to the field with drums in their hands.

Chennai Super Kings Captain M S Dhoni argues with constable Shivakumar even as Shivamani sets up his drums at the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore during the IPL match.

DOING HIS DUTY
Perturbed over this apparent breach of security, Shivakumar, who was on duty in mufti, alerted the other officials and tried blocking Shivamani and his men from rushing on to the field. Angry over this and not really aware of his identity, Dhoni picked up a verbal altercation with Shivakumar that led to a few tense moments on the field. But, when the DCP (Central) B N S reddy intervened and revealed to Dhoni who Shivakumar was, the Indian captain regained his normal cool.
Explaining the situation to Bangalore Mirror, Reddy said, “while cordoning off the area for prize distribution, the constable only did his duty and followed orders. He could not distinguish between Shivamani and others. I and Dhoni might know Shivamani but what about the constable? He was scared about three to four persons running on to the field. As per the rules, no one other than the players and umpires is allowed to enter the field. When all others were rushing on to the field, how can he keep away from discharging his duty? ”

Chennai Super Kings and Indian Cricket captain M S Dhoni asks the constable Shivakumar to keep away from Shivamani and pushes him aside.

The police sources said that the officials were initially scared thinking that there might be explosives hidden inside the drums. Moreover, the intruders had no right to be on the field. Speaking to Bangalore Mirror, Shivakumar said, "Dhoni came to me from the back and mistook for a commoner. Without knowing me as part of the security, he started arguing with me. When I showed him my ID card he was ok. Also the DCP intervened and helped in settling the issue. I am a big fan of Shivamani and I knew him, but I was afraid about others running in along with him."

Constable Shivakumar being asked by a official of the Chennai Super Kings to leave the ground even as DCP B N S Reddy explains the who Shivakumar is to Indian and Super Kings captain M S Dhoni.

MAHI GIFTS HIS GLOVES
That was not the end of story. The DCP said “ After the prize ceremony, Dhoni himself came to me expressing his nwish to meet the constable. But I was taken by surprise and a bit scared too about the condition of my staff. So I also went along with him to the dressing room. But Dhoni, drenched in seat took out his gloves, signed ‘Mahi’ on it and presented it to the constable and shook hands with him.”

After realizing his mistake the Super Kings and the Indian Cricket Captain M S Dhoni put his arm around the constable who was shouted for doing his duty (left) and constable Shivakumar shows the batting gloves with MAHI signed on it gifted to him by M S Dhoni later the same night (right).

It was a unforgettable evening for Shivakumar who joined the department just five –years ago. “My first posting being Cubbon Park station, I have covered many tests, one-day matches and taken autographs of all players. But this is the first time that a player came in search of me acknowledging my duty and presented me with his gloves,” Shivakaumer said.