The untimely death of HASC reserve goalkeeper Arun Kumar following a cardiac arrest here on Friday has plunged the I-League side into gloom. “The whole team is upset,” defender Y. Jaikumar said on Saturday. “We couldn't practise today. This is a huge loss.”
The news comes ahead of HASC's crucial fixture against Pune FC on Sunday, with the home side fighting for survival in the top-flight. “The mood is really bad,” captain J. Murali said. “None of us could train. But we have to play well for Arun's sake and make sure HASC stays up.”
Kolar-born Kumar was a product of the Sports Authority of India's (SAI) Bangalore centre and joined HASC at the start of this season, but made no first-team appearances. The 24-year-old was with Viva Kerala during the 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons, before spending a year out of action.
