India record highest-ever team total in Women's Test cricket
Chennai (PTI): India on Saturday recorded the highest team total in women’s Test cricket on day two of the one-off Test against South Africa, surpassing the previous best of 575/9 set by Australia.
Australia had posted the total in Perth this February but India achieved the new record when Richa Ghosh hammered a four in the opening ball of the 109th over bowled by Annerie Dercksen.
Much of the credit for the feat goes to Indian openers -- Shafali Verma (205) and Smriti Mandhana (149) -- who shared an iconic stand of 292 -- the highest opening partnership in women's cricket.
It has also been well aided by Jemimah Rodrigues (55) along with skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Richa, who are currently unbeaten past their respective half-centuries.
On Day 1, India had finished on 525 for four, having posted the highest-ever single-day total in a Test match, breaking the previous record held by Sri Lankan men's team -- 509 for nine -- against Bangladesh in Colombo in 2002.
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Court orders FIR against Swami Avimukteshwaranand under POCSO ACT
Prayagraj (UP) (PTI): A special POCSO court here on Saturday ordered the Jhunsi Police Station SHO to register an FIR against Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati to investigate allegations of sexual abuse of boys.
Last week, the court of Special Judge (POCSO Act) Vinod Kumar Chaurasia reserved its decision on an application filed by Ashutosh Brahmachari Maharaj and others under Section 173(4) of the BNS after examining the evidence and recording the statements of the victimised 'batooks', the boys, as they are called at the ashram, Vidya Math.
The petitioner had filed the application seeking direction for an FIR against Avimukteshwaranand under sections 69, 74, 75, 76, 79, and 109 (all related to sexual assault) of the BNS, as well as sections 3/5/9 and 17 of the POCSO Act.
The court accepted the petition and ordered the police to conduct an investigation.
"Now we will get justice," Ashutosh Brahmachari said.
"Starting today, we are organising a Sanatan Yatra from here to Vidya Math (Varanasi). We will demonstrate how children are sexually abused on the fifth floor of Vidya Math. There is ample evidence of child abuse there. We have presented all the evidence to the court and will also provide it to the police," he said.
Avimukteshwarananda has been in the headlines for his confrontation with the organisers of the Magh Mela in Prayagraj. He accused the administration he was prevented from bathing on Mauni Amavasya.
