Felt hurt: Nikhat Zareen on Mary Kom's refusal to hug her after trial bout
New Delhi, Dec 28: Former junior world champion Nikhat Zareen on Saturday said she was left quite hurt by M C Mary Kom's refusal to share a hug after their trial bout for the Olympic qualifiers which she lost here on a split 1-9 verdict.
The 23-year-old Hyderabadi, who is an Asian bronze-winner, lost to the six-time world champion, who rebuffed the youngster's attempted hug owing to a bitter build-up to the bout.
"I am happy with how I performed. I gave my all. I did not like her behaviour after the bout. I expected that as a senior boxer she would appreciate my effort. I felt hurt but I don't want to comment anything more," Zareen told reporters after the 51kg category bout here.
"She also used a bad word for me (after the bout) but it's ok," she added.
Mary Kom, while responding to questions on her conduct, said, "I am also a human being, I also get irritated. Can't I get angry when my credentials are questioned like this? And this wasn't the first time. It has happened so many times with me despite the fact that no other Indian boxer has achieved what I have achieved."
The questions she was referring to were raised when the Boxing Federation of India, in a departure from its laid down policy considered giving Mary Kom direct selection for Olympic Qualifiers.
Zareen's protest led to insinuations that Mary Kom was avoiding a clash with her, something that left the iconic boxer furious.
Zareen said she would come back stronger from this setback.
" I will get another chance and I will prove myself there. If she doesn't qualify from February Olympic Qualifiers, I would again appear for a trial for the world qualifiers in May," she said.
"I want to remain positive and I am sure I will be back stronger," she added.
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Nine Naxalites carrying cumulative bounty of Rs 43 lakh surrender in Chhattisgarh
Sukma, Jan 11: Nine hardcore Naxalites, allegedly involved in attacks on security forces and carrying a cumulative bounty of Rs 43 lakh, surrendered in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Saturday, police said.
The cadres, including two women, turned themselves in before senior officials from the police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) here, citing disappointment with "hollow" and "inhuman" Maoist ideology and infighting within the outlawed outfit, Sukma Superintendent of Police Kiran Chavan said.
He said the surrendered Naxalites were also impressed by the state government's 'Niyad Nellanar' (your good village) scheme, which aims at facilitating development works in remote villages and stated that senior cadres were on backfoot with the increasing pressure of security forces and setting up of police camps in interior areas.
The official said Ransai alias Oyam Buska (34), the commander of platoon no 24 of Maoists, and Pradip alias Ravva Rakesh (20), a member under a company wing of PLGA battalion no. 1, were carrying a reward of Rs 8 lakh each.
He said four other cadres carried a reward of Rs 5 lakh, a woman Naxalite carried a reward of Rs 3 lakh, and two others, including a woman, carried a bounty of Rs 2 lakh each.
Chavan said Ransai was allegedly involved in attacks, including the Jhara Ghati ambush in Narayanpur district in 2007, wherein seven policemen were killed; the 2007 Ranibodli (Bijapur district) attack, in which 55 security personnel died; the 2017 ambush in Burkapal (Sukma), where 25 CRPF personnel were killed and the 2020 Minpa ambush (Sukma) that killed 17 security personnel.
The other surrendered cadres were also involved in multiple attacks on security forces, he said.
Personnel from Konta police station, District Reserve Guard (DRG), Intelligence Branch Team and 2nd and 223rd battalions played a crucial role in their surrender, he said.
The official said the surrendered Naxalites were provided Rs 25,000 each and will be further rehabilitated as per the government's policy.
Last year, 792 Naxalites had surrendered in the Bastar region, comprising seven districts, including Sukma.
