Cricket Association of Puducherry suspends three players on assault charges

Three Puducherry cricketers have been suspended, following charges of assault on an Under-19 coach by the Cricket Association of Puducherry (CAP). The three players, namely J Karthiyeyan, A Aravindaraj and S Santhosh Kumara, were involved in a grave criminal case, according to a statement from CAP.

The charges include ‘attempt to murder and assault’ on Mr. Venkataraman, CAP's U19 coach. According to CAP, the incident occurred on December 8, 2025, and a formal chargesheet has been filed in the Sedurapet Police Station.

The matter is currently pending before the Hon'ble Judicial Magistrate - IV Court, Puducherry.

In the aftermath of the incident, the CAP ordered the following sanctions against the accused players:

• They are suspended with immediate effect from all cricketing activities conducted under the aegis of CAP.
• They are strictly prohibited and banned from entering the CAP Siechem campus, Tutipet, Pondicherry and any CAP-controlled premises until further orders.
• They shall not be permitted to represent CAP in any capacity in domestic or external cricket tournaments/activities.
• This suspension shall remain in force until the Hon'ble Court adjudicates the matter and clears the accused of all charges.

Puducherry’s last competitive fixture in the domestic cricket was during the Ranji Trophy 2025-26, where they finished sixth in Group D after winning just one out of their seven matches.