Veteran Umpire Manik Gupta Dies After Bee Attack During Cricket Match In UP

Last Updated:February 19, 2026, 16:08 IST

Manik Gupta, who was reportedly a heart patient, soon began to lose consciousness as his condition deteriorated rapidly.

What began as a routine under-13 cricket league match on a quiet Wednesday morning in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao turned into a tragedy after a swarm of bees attacked players and officials, leaving a veteran umpire dead.

The incident occurred at Rahul Sapru ground in the Gangaghat Kotwali area, where around 40 to 45 people — including young players from Kanpur and Lucknow, umpires and ground staff — had gathered for what was meant to be a friendly competitive fixture. Within minutes, panic replaced play as a massive swarm of bees descended upon the field.

Swarm Strikes Three Times

According to eyewitnesses, a beehive was located on a banyan tree adjoining the boundary wall of the ground. Bees had been hovering around since early morning. The first attack occurred around 7 A.M. when children reached the ground and began collecting their kits. Some players were stung again around 8 am.

However, at around 8:30 A.M., the situation spiralled out of control when a full swarm broke loose, attacking everyone on the ground. For nearly 15 minutes, chaos prevailed as players, officials and staff ran for cover.

Among them was 65-year-old Manik Gupta, a Kanpur resident and a seasoned umpire associated with the Kanpur Cricket Association (KCA) for nearly three decades.

Umpire Collapses While Fleeing

Eyewitness and fellow umpire Sunil Kumar Nishad said Gupta was seated near the field when the swarm intensified. As he tried to escape, he stumbled and fell. Over 50 bees reportedly surrounded him, stinging him repeatedly for nearly 10 minutes.

Gupta, who was reportedly a heart patient, soon began to lose consciousness as his condition deteriorated rapidly.

In total, around 40 to 50 people were stung in the attack. At least 10 individuals, including Gupta, were rushed to a private nursing home in Kanpur. However, doctors, seeing the seriousness of his condition, referred him to Lala Lajpat Rai Hospital, popularly known as Hallet Hospital.

However, he succumbed to the wounds on the way to the hospital.

Hospitals Refuse Admission

Former Ranji player Rahul Sapru drove Gupta to a private hospital in Shuklaganj for initial treatment, but he was referred onward. Family members and KCA officials alleged that two other hospitals also declined to admit him due to the severity of his condition.

As arrangements were made to take him to Hallet Hospital in Kanpur, his breathing stopped midway. Doctors declared him dead upon arrival.

The exact trigger for the bee attack remains unclear. It is yet to be established whether the hive was disturbed by a cricket ball or by some other external factor.

A Veteran’s Final Farewell

Gupta had been living with his family in the Feelkhana area of Kanpur. He is survived by his wife and four daughters — three of whom are married. His youngest daughter, an intermediate student, remains unmarried.

After the postmortem on Wednesday evening, when his body reached home, scenes of grief unfolded. His wife fainted upon seeing his body. During the final rites at Bhagwat Das Ghat, his youngest daughter was seen wiping her father’s face repeatedly before preparing to perform the last rites.

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