Wonder boy Pranav Dhanawade put in police lockup for wanting to play cricket

The Public Welfare Department has constructed a helipad on the ground where Pranav plays in view of Union HRD Minister Prakash Jawadekar's visit to Kalyan.

New Delhi: Not long ago, the name of teenage cricketer Pranav Dhanawade was making headlines for registering his name in history books following an unbeaten 1009-run knock in a school match. Now the 16-year-old is back making headlines but only for the wrong reasons as he was allegedly involved in a brawl with local police.

Pranav had allegedly raised an objection to vacate a ground being used as helipad. The Subhash ground in Kalyan where Dhanawade was playing along with his friends, was handed over to police for security reasons, a senior police official informed.

The Public Welfare Department has constructed a helipad on the ground in view of Union HRD Minister Prakash Jawadekar's visit to Kalyan.

On seeing the players playing cricket at the ground, an on-duty guard came to the boys and asked them to stop the game.

Dhanawade and his friends started arguing with police by saying where to play if not on the ground. As the situation seemed getting out of control, a police officer and some constables reached the ground but the argument got worsened.

Dhanawade asked police to show permission, which made the cops take him to the police station, said DS Suryawanshi of Bajarpeth police station.

Hence Dhanawade later released after police had issued him a warning.

The player has secured a monthly scholarship for five years from the Mumbai Cricket Association after becoming the first batsman in the world to notch-up a four-figure innings.

Dhanavade from the KC Gandhi Higher Secondary school in Kalyan had batted for 395 minutes in the two-day game against Arya Gurukul in the Mumbai Cricket Association conducted Bhandari Cup inter school cricket tournament to remain unbeaten off 323 balls in which he struck a staggering 59 sixes and 129 fours.

Meanwhile, Minister Javadekar decided that he will travel by road and not by helicopter as the grounds should be used for sports and not be converted into helipads.

"It is not proper to make use of the play grounds for helipad hence I would be travelling by road and will not use the helicopter this time," the Minister told a regional news channel.

(With PTI inputs)