Mumbai (PTI): In a noble gesture, the BCCI on Sunday decided to release Rs one crore for the treatment of former India coach Anshuman Gaikwad, who is battling blood cancer at a medical facility in London.

BCCI's decision has come following emotional appeals for support from former captain Kapil Dev and Sandip Patil, who had enjoined the cricket board to help Gaikwad.

"Mr. Jay Shah has instructed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to release Rs 1 crore with immediate effect to provide financial assistance to India's veteran cricketer Mr Anshuman Gaekwad, who is battling cancer," BCCI apex council said in a statement.

Gaekwad, son of former India captain D K Gaekwad, is undergoing treatment for blood cancer at the King's College Hospital in London.

"Shah has also spoken to Mr Gaekwad's family to take stock of the situation and extend support. The board stands by Gaekwad's family in this hour of crisis and will do whatever is essential for Mr Gaekwad's quick recovery," the statement continued.

"The BCCI will continue to monitor Mr Gaekwad's progress and is confident that he will come out of this phase strongly," it added.

The 71-year-old Gaekwad played 40 Tests and 15 ODIs for India between 1975 and 1987.

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.



Agra, Dec 23: A truck driver dragged two people for about 300 metres in Agra under his vehicle, police on Monday said.

Some locals forced the driver to stop the truck and extricated the men from under the vehicle.

Police arrested the driver and seized the truck.

The two men, both residents of Nunhai in Agra, were going towards Rambagh from Waterworks when they met with an accident around 11 pm Sunday.

The driver, instead of stopping the truck sped up, trapping both of them underneath, police said.

"In the accident, two youths were dragged by a canter driver for about 300 metres. Later, some residents saved the youths by stopping the driver using force," Chhatta Police Station Inspector Pramod Kumar told PTI.

"The youths were sent for treatment at a nearby hospital and are still being treated, but are in stable condition. The youths were from Agra. The canter driver was arrested and the canter seized after the incident," he said.

A video of the incident that surfaced on social media showed the men shouting for help.

The video was purported to have been shot by a person passing by on a two-wheeler.