WHILE RETURNING HOME after attending the Kolkata Derby in Silguri, Mohun Bagan fan Soumya Mukherjee lost his life in a tragic accident at a railway station.
Online, there was an immediate outpouring of support. Mohun Bagan as well as East Bengal fans posted countless messages of grief and expressed sympathy for Soumya's family. When Mohun Bagan took on Mumbai FC at the Cooperage Stadium on Wednesday, supporters' groups of both clubs - Mumbai Pune Mariners for Mohun Bagan and Yellow Brigade for Mumbai FC - honoured their departed comrade in unison. The traveling fans also purchased an extra ticket for Soumya and kept a seat reserved for him.
Tomorrow, Mohun Bagan will face DSK Shivajians at Rabindra Sarobar Stadium; their first home game since Soumya's passing. And on that day, both the participant sides will once again come together to honour the departed youth's memory.
Swapner Udaan Mohun Bagan, a fan group based in Kolkata, will hand out badges dedicated to Soumya's memory to every fan attending that game to be worn throughout the game. Many fans and fan groups are expected to bring pictures of Soumya to honour his memory.
But an extra touch of class in this occasion has been added by the DSK Shivajians team's intentions of taking part in the mourning process. Dave Rogers, the head coach of the Shivajians, told TFG,
"I would like to present the Mohun Bagan fans with a memorial at the game on Saturday. Our sympathy and prayers are with all of them and his family... we are in this together and it's times like this that shows the class on and off the pitch for our I-League."
In Solidarity: DSK Shivajians will join Mohun Bagan in mourning departed fan
Mr Rogers further explained,
"During the warm up all my players and staff will wear t-shirts with Soumya's name on them and RIP for rest in peace. Also, Subrata Paul will present the Mohun Bagan captain with a signed jersey from all of us."
The T-Shirt that the DSK Shivajians will wear during warm-up.
While Indian football has seen its fair share of tragic deaths on and off the field, and much of it has been centred around the Kolkata Derby, one thing that has never changed throughout the years is that every time a soul is taken away the entire Indian football family comes together to share the grief of the bereaved family and club. This time there's no exception, and the way other teams are actively showing their support leaves a shining example of solidarity during troubled times.
