Unnao, Feb 20: A veteran cricket umpire lost his life after a swarm of bees attacked him during a cricket match at the Sapru Stadium in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao.

The deceased has been identified as Manik Gupta,

Manik was a distinguished umpire in the Kanpur cricket circuit and was also associated with the Kanpur Cricket Association.

According to reports, Manik after finishing his match, went to meet a fellow umpire during a drinks break when a swarm of bees suddenly attacked everyone present. While trying to escape, Manik lost his balance and fell, and the bees swarmed over him.

Just a day later, a massive bee swarm invaded the W100K Bengaluru tennis tournament, forcing players Talia Gibson and Sahaja Yamalapalli to abandon the court mid‑match. Play was halted for nearly 30 minutes until the area was cleared.

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These back‑to‑back incidents highlight the risks posed by unmanaged bee colonies near sports venues.

Authorities are now under pressure to strengthen preventive measures to avoid similar disruptions and tragedies in the future.