The Pondicherry Cricket Association has suspended three of its first-class cricketers, J Karthikeyan, A Aravindaraj and S Santhosh Kumaran, with immediate effect following serious allegations that they assaulted the state Under-19 team coach Venkataraman. The decision was confirmed by the state authority in a statement on Wednesday.
The alleged incident dates back to December 8 last year and has since escalated into a legal matter. All three players have been regulars in the Puducherry domestic circuit and featured in India’s premier competitions such as the Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Aravindaraj was also part of the team in the last domestic season.
The association said in its press release that the trio were charged with attempted murder and grievous bodily harm. “A formal charge sheet under FIR 100/2025 has been filed by the Sedurapet Police Station Officer and the matter is pending before the Puducherry Judicial Magistrate IV,” the statement said.
The Pondicherry Cricket Association, in its administrative capacity, banned the three players from entering any of its premises and denied them access to its facilities. The suspension also extends to participation in all domestic and external tournaments, effectively ruling the trio out of competitive cricket until further notice.
The association specified that the suspension will remain in effect until the court clears the player of all charges. It also noted that accused players have the right to appeal the decision to the state’s ethics officer or ombudsman.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
22 Apr 2026 19:52 IST
