Nikhat Zareen enters pre-quarterfinals with gritty win over Kloetzer
Paris, Jul 28: Two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen powered into the women's 50kg Olympics pre-quarterfinals with a tenacious victory over Germany's Maxi Carina Kloetzer here on Sunday.
Trailing on three cards after the first round, the 28-year-old Indian prevailed by a 5-0 margin against the German in a rather messy round of 32 contest at the North Paris Arena here.
The unseeded Zareen, who is making her Games debut and is a strong medal contender, did not have the best of starts as the German closed the ring on her with aggressive attacking.
But Zareen expertly forced her way back to the centre of the ring, connecting some lusty blows. Both boxers tried to work on each other's bodies.
The German, who was at a height disadvantage, used her jab to good effect, taking the first round via a 3-2 split verdict.
The second round was off to a frantic start with both boxers trading punches. But Zareen found her rhythm and connected some lethal hooks on Kloetzer. Both pugilists were trying to impress the judges but Zareen showcased her tactical prowess.
Kloetzer had a point deducted for not keeping her head up but Zareen immediately lost the point advantage as she was penalised for holding a few seconds later.
After the two energy sapping rounds, Zareen continued to land accurate blows, while Kloetzer looked exhausted and resorted to grappling. She was warned by the referee a couple of times as Zareen took the round and the win.
Zareen, who has been handed a tough draw, will take on top-seeded Asian Games and reigning flyweight world champion Wu Yu of China, who received a first round bye, on Thursday.
Zareen is the second Indian boxer to take the ring. Late on Saturday, Asian Games bronze medallist Preeti Pawar too began her campaign on a rousing note, as she picked an unanimous decision win over Vietnam's Vo Thi Kim Anh to move to the pre-quarterfinals in the women's 54kg category.
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.
J-K: Six held with drugs, assets worth Rs 73 lakh attached in Udhampur
Jammu (PTI): Six persons were taken into custody during an intensified anti-narcotics crackdown, with police recovering contraband substances and over Rs 23 lakh in Doda and Kathua districts of Jammu and Kashmir, police said on Monday.
In a parallel action, properties worth over Rs 73 lakh linked to drug peddlers were also attached in Udhampur district under relevant legal provisions, the police said.
Additional Superintendent of Police, Doda, Mohd Aslam said three persons, including a woman, were detained during a raid on a house at Dak Mohalla in the main town following recovery of 85 grams of suspected brown sugar and over Rs 23 lakh on Sunday evening.
He identified the woman as Zareena Begum, stating that she had been under police surveillance following inputs indicating her involvement in drug peddling.
Besides Zareena, officials said her daughter and son-in-law were also picked up by police during the raid.
“We have taken three individuals into custody. Their roles are being examined, and based on that, arrests will be made. We are continuing raids at other suspected locations,” Aslam said.
Three drug peddlers --Pardeep Singh of Hiranagar, Rahees Butt of Billawar and Ali Sen of Amritsar (Punjab) -- were arrested along with heroin at different places in Kathua district, a police spokesman said.
He said while 2.79 gm of heroin was seized from Singh, 2.66 gm were recovered Butt. Similarly, 303 gm of heroin was seized from Sen who was intercepted near Berrian-Pattan village while moving in a private car from Bhagthali to Maggar Khad on the Jammu-Pathankot highway.
All the three were booked under the NDPS Act and further investigations are on, the spokesman said.
In Udhampur, the spokesman said properties worth Rs 73 lakh were attached in two separate cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
The attached properties included a newly constructed residential house, a car, a motorcycle and a mobile phone with a total value of Rs 65 Lakh, belonging to accused Saif Ali who was booked under the NDPS case in Majalta area early this year, he said.
In another action, movable property worth Rs 8 lakh comprising a car, belonging to accused Danish Butt of Doda has been attached under Section 68(F) NDPS Act in connection with an FIR registered at Rehambal police station, the spokesman said.
