Floodlight failure halts India-England 2nd ODI in Cuttack
Cuttack, Feb 9 (PTI): In a major embarrassment for the BCCI, a floodlight failure interrupted play in the second ODI between England and India when the hosts were 48 for none in a chase of 305 at the Barabati Stadium, here on Sunday.
India were cruising when one of the eight floodlights near the clock tower failed, forcing players out of field.
The issue first surfaced around 6:15pm when some floodlights briefly went off but the power supply was restored as England pacer Saqib Mahmood was about to bowl to Rohit Sharma.
However, moments later, the lights went out completely, leaving the players frustrated.
Skipper Rohit Sharma, looking in sublime touch, was batting on 29 off 18 balls, having struck three sixes and a four, while Shubman Gill was on 17 off 19 balls with three boundaries.
Players waited for five minutes before leaving the field, while the packed 45,000-strong crowd turned the moment into a spectacle, grooving to blaring music.
The public address system even encouraged fans to turn on their phone flashlights, creating an electrifying atmosphere -- minus the cricket.
Hosting its first ODI in over four years, the OCA had enforced tight security but struggled to manage the overflowing crowd. Chaos was witnessed at the gates with the police resorting to lathi charges to control unruly fans.
The disorder extended to the press box, where several unauthorised individuals entered, adding to the confusion.
More than 25000 fans had gathered during India's practice session on the eve of the match as the OCA allowed free access.
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Delhi HC asks Jaideep Sengar to surrender in Unnao custodial death case
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi High Court on Friday asked Jaideep Sengar, brother of Unnao rape case convict Kuldeep Sengar, to surrender before jail authorities in connection with his conviction in the custodial death case of the survivor's father.
A bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Ravinder Dudeja was hearing a plea by the convict for further extension of interim bail upon suspension of the 10-year sentence.
It observed that the interim bail granted to Jaideep Sengar in July 2024 was last extended in April 2025 and since then, in spite of five dates, no order of any further extension or suspension of his sentence has been passed by the court.
As the senior counsel for Jaideep Sengar urged the bench to extend the period of his release on account of his health, the bench said, "You surrender and then we will see."
"Although there is no extension of interim suspension of sentence granted, we find he has still not surrendered. Before we proceed to consider his application for further extension of suspension of sentence, we require the appellant to first surrender," the bench ordered.
The senior counsel for Jaideep Sengar assured the court that he would surrender by Saturday.
The court listed the matter for hearing next week.
Jaideep Sengar, 50, sought the bail extension on the grounds that he is suffering from oral cancer.
The Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) counsel had earlier said it was not a fit case for extension of interim bail, and the prescription given by Jaideep Sengar in support of his plea was fabricated.
In his application, Jaideep Sengar said he was suffering from stage IV oral cancer, a life-threatening condition, and had developed clinical signs of recurrence.
The condition, the plea said, required continuous and specialised medical care.
The plea also informed that Jaideep Sengar has spent about four years in custody.
The high court had granted interim bail to Jaideep Sengar on July 3, 2024, for two months on medical grounds.
Kuldeep Sengar was convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for the remainder of his life on December 20, 2019, for raping the minor in 2017.
On March 13, 2020, Kuldeep Sengar, along with Jaideep Sengar, was sentenced to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment by the trial court, which also imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh, in the custodial death case of the rape survivor's father.
The survivor's father was arrested, allegedly at the behest of the accused, under the Arms Act and died in custody on April 9, 2018, owing to police brutality.
The trial court said no leniency could be shown for killing a family's sole breadwinner.
