DHAKA: At least 15 people were injured and Bangladesh`s largest hospital recorded a jump in cases of sedative poisoning following Brazil`s shock departure from the World Cup, a doctor said Saturday.

The injured and poisoned were taken to the state-run Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) after Brazil lost its quarterfinal match against Netherlands, a game watched by nearly 80 million Bangladeshi fans.

Firoz Ahmed, an emergency ward doctor at the 1,700-bed hospital, said among those treated Friday night were at least 15 Brazil or Argentina supporters.

"They fought after some Argentine supporters celebrated Brazil`s shock defeat. Most have head injuries, hit by sticks or stones," he said.

Most Bangladeshis support either of the two Latin American soccer giants and flags of Argentina and Brazil have been fluttering around the South Asian nation weeks before the tournament began in South Africa last month.

Ahmed said at least five Brazilian supporters were admitted to the hospital due to "excess taking of sleeping pills as they could not digest the loss.
"We got a higher than usual number of sedative-poisoning cases following the match," he said.

The usually cricket-mad nation has been gripped by World Cup fever despite its national soccer team failing to qualify for the tournament.
Last week soccer fans forced the closure of the country`s leading engineering university and damaged vehicles and attacked electricity distribution centres when a power cut hit TV coverage of an Argentina match.

Some factories in Dhaka have also shut during games to reduce power blackouts.

BDST: 1419hrs, July 3, 2010