Champs Mohun Bagan thrash Punjab FC 3-1 in ISL
Kolkata (PTI): Mohun Bagan Super Giant kicked off their title defence with a 3-1 thrashing of Punjab FC in the Indian Super League, here on Saturday.
Following a delayed start, Mohun Bagan dominated the proceedings against the I-League promoted side and had a 2-0 cushion going into the halftime with goals from Jason Cummings (ninth) and Dimitri Petratos (34th).
After the changeover, Luka Majcen (53rd) pulled one back from a sloppy back pass by Glan Martins.
But it was not enough as Mohun Bagan pumped in another through India forward Manvir Singh (63rd) to start the season on an emphatic note.
Set up by India midfielder Sahal Abdul Samad, Cummings took a left-footed strike from the right side of the six-yard box to give the Mariners an early lead, which was doubled through Petratos, who utilised a pass from Liston Colaco before launching his left-footed shot into the bottom right corner.
Minutes after he was brought in as a replacement for Subhasish Bose, Manvir used a Petratos cross to shoot to the top left corner with his powerful right-footed strike.
The match was delayed by 35 minutes to avoid broadcasting issues as the first match of the day between Odisha FC and Chennaiyin FC was interrupted due to bad weather.
To avoid a clash of telecast, the second match of the Saturday double-header was deferred by 35 minutes.
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T'gana BC panel seeks reports over infant's death, family alleges caste abuse
Hyderabad (PTI): The Telangana Commission for Backward Classes on Monday sought reports from state government officials on the death of an infant following alleged assault and caste abuse against her family members in Nagarkurnool district while visiting a temple fair.
In separate letters, Commission Chairman G Niranjan urged Endowments Department Commissioner S Harish and Nagarkurnool district Collector Badavath Santhosh to furnish the reports within three days.
Niranjan drew the officials' attention to media reports on the death of the two-month-old baby at Kummera village in the district and alleged caste discrimination and denial of entry to the temple fair to the baby's family belonging to a BC community.
BJP OBC Morcha's state unit president G Anand Goud alleged inadequate response by the police in the incident and demanded a transparent investigation into the incident.
Alleging that the deceased baby's father was attacked in the incident, he also demanded action against the attackers.
Goud told reporters that BJP's state unit president N Ramachander Rao would visit the village on February 24 and meet the baby's family members.
Meanwhile, a BRS delegation met DGP B Shivadhar Reddy and demanded a comprehensive inquiry into the incident.
The BRS leaders sought action against a person who allegedly attacked the infant's parents.
BC associations have held protests over the past few days regarding the alleged caste discrimination against the deceased infant's family members.
Police said on Sunday that four persons were arrested in connection with the cases registered after the family alleged that the baby died following an "assault" by a group of villagers. The family also alleged that they were abused in the name of caste in the incident on February 18.
However, a villager, part of the group, lodged a counter-complaint with the police the same day, alleging that he was attacked with stones during a scuffle with the family, sustaining a head injury, following which a case was registered.
The infant died on February 21 and her mother, who belongs to an SC community, also lodged a complaint alleging her daughter died due to the physical assault on the family by some villagers, police said.
