Jashpur (PTI): A 28-year-old kabaddi player, who suffered serious injuries during a match in Chhattisgarh's Jashpur district in October, has died during treatment in a private hospital, officials said on Thursday.

Samaru Kerketta, who suffered injuries during a kabaddi match held in Sundhru village of Jashpur on October 17, died on Wednesday afternoon, a district administration official said.

He is the third player to have died, since October, after participating in the kabaddi matches held as a part of the Chhattisgarhiya Olympics, an event being hosted by the state government.

Kerketta, a native of Ghumra village in Jashpur, had suffered a serious spinal cord injury. He was initially taken to the Tapkara Primary Health Centre located near the event venue. He was then referred to the Jindal Hospital in the neighbouring Raigarh district, where he succumbed after nearly a month-long treatment, the official said.

"The player was being treated for quadriplegia cervical spine injury and kept on ventilator support. Despite all the efforts made by doctors, he could not be saved," the official added.

Jashpur Collector Ravi Mittal said that the district administration will extend every possible assistance to the family of the deceased.

On October 15, a woman Kabbadi player who had suffered injuries during a match held as part of the Chhattisgarhiya Olympics in Kondagaon district died at a hospital in Raipur.

Besides, a 32-year-old man who was critically injured during a match in Raigarh district died on October 11.

The state government had organised the Chhattisgarhiya Olympics from October 6, 2022 to January 6, 2023 with an aim to promote local sports.

There is no age limit for the participants.

Apart from traditional sports like Pittul, Kho-Kho and kabaddi, the grand event will also see contests in games like cricket, volleyball and hockey at four levels - village panchayat, development block, district and state.

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Mumbai, Jul 25 (PTI): Police have opposed the bail plea of the Bangladeshi national arrested for allegedly stabbing Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan with a knife and injuring him at his home here in January this year, telling a Mumbai court there was "strong evidence" against the accused.

Citing a Forensic Science Laboratory report, police reiterated before the sessions court their earlier claim knife fragments that got lodged near the actor's spine during the attack as well as a part found at the crime spot have matched with the weapon recovered from the accused, Shariful Islam.

These three pieces were part of the same weapon (knife) used to attack the filmstar, the police said in a written response to the accused's plea submitted in the court on Thursday (July 24).

Khan was repeatedly stabbed with a knife by an intruder inside his 12th floor apartment in upscale Bandra on January 16 during a robbery attempt.

The 54-year-old actor underwent surgery at Lilavati Hospital to remove a piece of knife that got lodged near his spine during the attack. He was discharged from the private hospital after five days.

Shariful Islam, a Bangladeshi national, was arrested two days later for allegedly stabbing Khan.

The police, in their response, highlighted that the accused is a Bangladeshi citizen residing illegally in India.

If granted bail, there was a possibility that he may flee India and not appear before the court during the trial. The crime committed by the accused is of a "very serious nature, and strong evidence" is available against him, they argued.

In his bail plea, filed through advocate Vipul Dushing, the accused asserted he was innocent and had no prior criminal record.

Investigation into the case has practically concluded with only the filing of a chargesheet pending, the accused contended while seeking bail.

The alleged attacker has been booked under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections related to house trespass, robbery and dacoity with attempt to cause death or grievous injury.