Birmingham(PTI): Star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has pulled out of the Commonwealth Games due to "fitness concerns", the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) announced on Tuesday.
Chopra had won a historic silver medal at the World Athletics Championship in Eugene on Sunday and suffered a strain in his groin during the competition.
IOA Secretary General Rajiv Mehta said the reigning Olympic champion has been advised rest for one month.
"Team India javelin thrower Mr. Neeraj Chopra had called me earlier today from the US to convey his inability to take part in the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games owing to fitness concern," Mehta said.
"Following his participation in the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Mr. Chopra had had an MRI scan done on Monday and, based on it, he has been advised a month's rest by his medical team," Mehta added.
The 24-year-old had become only the second Indian athlete to win a medal at World Championship, after Anju Bobby George, who won a bronze medal in long jump at the 2003 World Championship held in Paris.
Chopra was expected to be India's flag bearer at the Games, starting Thursday.
"We have a meeting later in the day to decide the new flag-bearer," India team's chef de mission Rajesh Bhandari told PTI.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Jammu (PTI): Eleven drug peddlers were arrested along with contraband substance at different places in Jammu, Samba and Udhampur districts of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, police said.
Keshav Sahu and Pardesi Ram, both residents of Chhattisgarh, were nabbed along with two kilograms of Ganja in Gharota area of Jammu, a police spokesperson said.
He said Billu Sharma, Tarun Kumar Patel, and Dinesh Kumar Chauhan were apprehended after 10 kgs of Ganja was recovered from their possession during patrolling in Sandwan Border Police Post area of Domana in Jammu.
A police team intercepted a car at a checkpoint in Vijaypur area of Samba, leading to the recovery of 16.61 grams of heroin from its occupants -- Sanjeev Kumar and Malkeet Kour -- who were immediately arrested, the spokesperson said.
In another incident, he said another drug peddler identified as Umar Ishaq of Doda was arrested along with 3.92 grams of heroin during checking of vehicles at Nud along Samba-Mansar road.
He said an inter-district drug peddler identified as Aqib Ashraf, a resident of Anantnag, was arrested after 21.97 grams of heroin was seized from his car at Majalta in Udhampur district.
Irfan and Waseem, both residents of Udhampur, were apprehended along with 10.99 grams of heroin from Roun Domail area, the spokesperson said.
He said all the arrested peddlers were booked under separate cases of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
