Police arrested five persons in the Odisha capital on the charge of black marketing tickets for Men’s Hockey World Cup matches being held here, an officer said on Wednesday.

The special team of the police arrested five persons after it was informed that a group of people were indulging in black marketing of tickets for the matches at Kalinga Stadium here. The five persons including four businessmen were arrested by the personnel of Sahdeed Nagar police station, he said.

Meanwhile, Odisha's Sports and Youth Affairs minister T K Behera said that the police have been instructed to keep a strict vigil on such allegations.

"Strict action will be taken as per the law against those involved in black marketing of world cup match tickets," the minister said.

According to sources, the gang was selling the Rs 100, and Rs 200 tickets for Rs 1,000 and Rs 2,200 respectively outside the stadium. The ticket priced at Rs 500 was sold at the rate of Rs 4,000, they said.

The police could nab the gang as they had posted that they were selling the tickets at higher rates. Once they receive any message from interested person, they text them to arrive near Kalinga Stadium to collect the tickets after paying the amount.

The FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup, which began on January 13 will continue till January 29. The matches are being played at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar and newly-built Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela.

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