Umpire dies after a bee swarm attack during cricket match in Unnao

A 65-year-old senior umpire of the Kanpur Cricket Association (KCA), Manik Gupta, died after a swarm of bees attacked players and officials during a local cricket match at Sapru ground in Shuklaganj, Unnao on Wednesday. Several players and umpires were injured in the sudden attack that disrupted the KDMA league match between YMCC and Paramount.

The incident took place when Gupta and fellow umpire Jagdish Sharma were officiating the match. According to details, both umpires were dressed in white, and the bees hovered around them for nearly 10 minutes, stinging those on the field. Players and officials tried to take cover as the swarm created panic at the ground.

Eyewitnesses said multiple players and umpires suffered severe stings in the chaos, forcing the match to be stopped midway.

Shifted across hospitals, declared dead in Kanpur

After the attack, Gupta was rushed to two private hospitals in Shuklaganj in Unnao. As his condition worsened, doctors referred him to Lala Lajpat Rai Hospital (LLR) in Kanpur and later to the Laxmipat Singhania Institute of Cardiology, where he was declared dead.

Gupta was a resident of Pheelkhana and had been part of the KCA umpiring panel for nearly 30 years.

KCA chairman Sanjay Kapoor expressed grief over the incident and said it was a huge loss to the cricketing community.

"The senior umpire of KCA was dedicated to the game.

"The KCA family shares every sorrow and stands with the bereaved family. All possible help will be provided to his family," he said.

Final rites to be held on Thursday

The association confirmed that Gupta’s last rites will be performed on Thursday. The incident has left local cricket circles in shock, with many calling for better safety measures at match venues to prevent such rare but dangerous situations.