T20 WC: Indian players wear black armbands in honour of David Johnson
Bridgetown (Barbados), Jun 20: The Indian cricket team wore black armbands in honour of former fast bowler David Johnson who passed away on Thursday, during their T20 World Cup Super Eight match here against Afghanistan.
Johnson, who played two Tests for India in 1996, died after falling from his fourth-floor balcony in Bengaluru and the local police said they were in the process of determining if it was a case of suicide.
Both skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli came out to bat wearing black armbands.
"Team India will wear black armbands today in memory of former India fast bowler David Johnson, who passed away on Thursday,” the BCCI had said shortly before the start of play at the Kensington Oval.
Johnson played a Test each against Australia and South Africa and took three wickets, while he snaffled 125 wickets in 39 First-Class games and 41 dismissals in 33 List A games for Karnataka between 1992-93 till 2001-02.
Several Indian cricketers including Sachin Tendulkar led the tributes for Johnson.
"Deeply saddened by the passing of my former teammate, David Johnson. He was full of life and never gave up on the field. My thoughts are with his friends and family," Tendulkar wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Former India bowlers and Johnson's state teammates Venkatesh Prasad and Anil Kumble also paid their tributes on social media.
"Shocked and sad to hear about the passing away of David Johnson. Heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones. Om Shanti," Prasad wrote.
Kumble expressed, "Saddened to hear the passing of my cricketing colleague David Johnson. Heartfelt condolences to his family. Gone too soon 'Benny'!"
Team India will wear black armbands today in memory of former Indian fast bowler David Johnson, who passed away on Thursday. pic.twitter.com/dhFiwjnWSs
— BCCI (@BCCI) June 20, 2024
Deeply saddened by the passing of my former teammate, David Johnson. He was full of life and never gave up on the field. My thoughts are with his friends and family.
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) June 20, 2024
Shocked and sad to hear about the passing away of David Johnson.
— Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) June 20, 2024
Heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones. Om Shanti 🙏🏼
Saddened to hear the passing of my cricketing colleague David Johnson. Heartfelt condolences to his family. Gone too soon “ Benny”!
— Anil Kumble (@anilkumble1074) June 20, 2024
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Dalit outfits call state-wide hartal over dental student’s death
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Various Dalit organisations on Monday announced a state-wide hartal seeking justice in the death of Kannur Dental College student Nithin Raj.
The hartal will be observed on Tuesday from 6 am to 6 pm.
As many as 52 Dalit organisations, including Justice for Nithin Raj Action Council, have announced the strike.
Organisations requesting cooperation for the strike said that no vehicles will be forcibly stopped and that all essential services are exempted.
Raj, a first-year BDS student at a private dental college in Anjarakkandy in Kannur district, was found critically injured after falling from a building on April 10 and later succumbed to his injuries.
Police have registered a case against two faculty members on charges of abetment of suicide and under provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, following allegations by the student’s family that he was subjected to caste- and complexion-based harassment.
Kerala Pinnokka Samudaya Munnani (KPSM), one of the organisations supporting the hartal, alleged in a statement that police had shown apathy in the investigation and were attempting to protect the accused in the case.
KPSM state president K V Padmanabhan and general secretary S Anwar alleged that the probe into Raj’s death was being deliberately misdirected and delayed.
While the family has firmly alleged that caste discrimination and mental harassment by faculty members led to the student’s death, police were attempting to divert the investigation towards loan app borrowings, they claimed.
The organisation alleged that this was a planned move to shield the real accused.
KPSM further alleged that by deliberately delaying the arrest of the accused teachers, police enabled them to secure anticipatory bail.
They said there was no confidence in the present police investigation and demanded that the case be handed over to an independent agency at the earliest.
