Cricketer Nicholas Pooran says will donate part of his IPL salary to India's COVID-19 battle
New Delhi: Punjab Kings' West Indian batsman Nicholas Pooran has decided to donate a part of his IPL salary to help India fight the deadly resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Scores of people across the country are dying in the wake of the second wave of the pandemic. India has reported over 3.86 lakh fresh COVID cases since Thursday.
Pooran urged Indians to get themselves vaccinated at the earliest.
"If you can get vaccinated please do, I will also do my part which is continue to pray for India but not only that, I would also like to donate a portion of my IPL salary towards this crisis," Pooran said in the video posted on Twitter.
The 25-year-old cricketer from Trinidad is aware of the toll the unprecedented health crisis is taking on India's overburdened medical infrastructure.
"To all my fans and supporters around the world and back home, I realise I am in a safe and privileged position here in India at the IPL.
"But it's also heartbreaking to be so close to such tragedy that's unfolding around us. For a country that has shown us so much love and support over the years, all I can do is join hands with my fellow players to help bring some awareness to this situation in India.
"The healthcare system is overwhelmed right now. The people can't get the attention they need because of the lack of oxygen supplies, I can't comprehend to start," Pooran said.
Pooran, who has played all the six matches for PBKS so far in IPL 2021, expressed his desire to play a part after his franchise too pledged support by providing oxygen concentrators.
"Although many other countries are still being affected by the pandemic, the situation in India right now is particularly severe. I will do my part to bring awareness and financial assistance to this dire situation," Pooran tweeted.
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Four held for Rs 6.79 cr loot at Mumbai jewellery shop; thermal drones used to scan forest hideouts
Mumbai (PTI): Four persons were arrested after an intense 48-day manhunt deep inside the forests of Rajasthan for allegedly stealing jewellery worth Rs 6.79 crore from a shop in north Mumbai, a police official said on Monday.
The theft of gold, silver and diamonds from the safe of complainant Sanket Porwal's shop in IC Colony in Borival West took place in January, the MHB police station official said.
"Our probe found that shop employees Prabhu Singh and Narayan Singh allegedly used a duplicate key to unlock the safe and flee with the valuables. Technical analysis traced them to Rajasthan, following which a team went there. The trail eventually led investigators to the dense forest regions of Rajsamand district in the western state," he said.
The accused avoided staying in villages and continued to move deeper into the forest to avoid arrest, the official said. They also kept moving from Rajsamand to Chittorgarh, Sardargarh and Pali districts, he added.
"For 48 days, police officers camped in the jungles, relying on human intelligence and advanced surveillance techniques. Thermal drones were used to scan forest zones where the accused were suspected to be hiding. Further probe revealed the involvement of others identified as Ganpat Singh, Kishan Singh and Mod Singh," he said.
One key accused was traced to a temple located deep inside a forest near Muwariya village in Rajsamand district, while two others were picked up from Kuwariya village based on a tip off, the official added.
Three kilograms of gold worth Rs 4.5 crore as well as five kilograms of silver worth Rs 15 lakh have been seized, and efforts are on to recover the remaining loot, he said.
