British rock band Coldplay’s coming tour of India has triggered a police investigation and dismayed fans after scalpers bought up cheap tickets to resell online for more than US$1,000 apiece.
Thousands of music fans tried and failed to buy tickets for three concerts scheduled in financial hub Mumbai next January, sold by popular Indian online ticket portal BookMyShow.
All three shows sold out in minutes, and those who missed out were infuriated when they saw 6,000-rupee (US$72) tickets appear on resale websites at vastly inflated prices.
“The tickets are being sold at 10 times, 20 times, 30 times the price that is being sold on the website itself,” said student Anna Abraham, 19.
“I wouldn’t feel good about it myself if I knew that I paid for something 30 times more than what I could have paid for.”