Kolkata (PTI): Indian pacer Mohammed Shami on Tuesday appeared before poll officials in Kolkata for his scheduled hearing under the ongoing SIR exercise in West Bengal, an official said.

Shami appeared before the poll officials with the necessary documents at a school in south Kolkata's Bikramgarh area, he said.

After the completion of the hearing, Shami said SIR is everybody's responsibility, and all should cooperate during the process.

"There is no problem. SIR is everybody's right, and we all must participate in the process. This is our responsibility. It is not causing harm to anyone," Shami told reporters.

"I faced no problem, and they (poll officials) handled it well. I have been staying here for the last 25 years. If they call me again, I will come again," he added.

The enumeration form filled out by Shami had some discrepancies, because of which he was summoned for the hearing, a senior official in the office of the state CEO said.

According to the official, Shami appeared with his passport as a part of the hearing process, which was completed within around 15 minutes.

Shami, who hails from Uttar Pradesh, has been residing in Kolkata for several years due to his cricketing career.

The cricketer is registered as a voter of ward number 93 of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, which falls under the Rashbehari assembly constituency.

The Indian pacer and his brother Mohammed Kaif have been issued notices by the Election Commission to appear for a hearing.

"Shami could not turn up for the hearing on an earlier date as he was in Rajkot, representing Bengal in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. So, a new date was issued," the poll official said.

He relocated to Kolkata at a young age on the advice of his coach.

Shami later came under the guidance of former Bengal Ranji captain and coach Sambaran Bandyopadhyay and earned a spot in the Bengal Under-22 team.

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Sheopur (MP) (PTI): Cheetah 'Gamini' has given birth to three cubs at the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh, taking the number of these big cats in India to 38, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said on Wednesday.

Describing it as a "roaring" success of the government's ambitious Cheetah re-introduction programme, Yadav said it is a powerful symbol of the country’s determined and historic conservation effort.

Gamini was translocated to India from South Africa as part of the ambitious project launched in September 2022 to revive the population of the world's fastest land animal in India, which had gone extinct decades ago.

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Yadav, in a post on X, said, “Kuno welcomes three new cubs - A roaring new chapter at Kuno on the occasion of completion of 3 years of arrival of cheetahs from South Africa. Celebrations echo through Kuno National Park as Gamini, the South African cheetah and second-time mother, has brought 3 new cubs into the world."

This joyful arrival marks the ninth successful cheetah litter on Indian soil and takes the number of surviving Indian-born cubs to 27, he said.

With these newest additions, India's total cheetah population has now reached 38 - a powerful symbol of the country's determined and historic conservation effort, Yadav highlighted.

Each birth strengthens the foundation of Project Cheetah and reflects the passion, perseverance, and round-the-clock dedication of the field staff and veterinary teams who have nurtured this dream into reality, he said.

"A moment of pride for Kuno, and for India—may Gamini and her three little sprinters grow strong and carry the nation’s cheetah revival story forward with speed and grace," the minister added.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav noted that Madhya Pradesh is a powerful centre for cheetah reintroduction.

This is a historic achievement for the entire country in the direction of wildlife conservation, biodiversity, and environmental balance, the CM said in a post on X.

It is a matter of immense joy that under Project Cheetah, the female cheetah ‘Gamini’ who arrived from South Africa has given birth to three cubs, he said.

"With the completion of three years of cheetahs’ arrival at Kuno National Park in Sheopur district, this is the 9th successful birth (of a litter). The total number of cheetahs in India has now increased to 38," Yadav added.

Earlier this month, cheetah Aasha, translocated to India from Namibia, gave birth to five cubs in KNP.