Jamnagar (PTI): The maharaja of the erstwhile princely state of Nawanagar, known as Jamnagar, in Gujarat, has declared his nephew and former cricketer Ajay Jadeja as his heir to the throne on the auspicious day of Dussehra on Saturday.

The 53-year-old cricketer, who played 196 ODIs and 15 test matches for India between 1992 and 2000, is a descendant of the Jamnagar royal family.

Maharaja of Jamnagar Shatrusalyasinh Jadeja is the cousin of Daulatsinghji Jadeja, the cricketer's father, a three-time Member of Parliament from Jamnagar from 1971 to 1984.

"The festival of Dussehra is believed to mark the day the Pandavas emerged victorious from exile. Today, on Dussehra, I am equally happy, as I have found a resolution to one of my dilemmas thanks to Ajay Jadeja, who has accepted to be my heir," Maharaja Jamsaheb, as he is popularly called, declared in a statement.

"Ajay Jadeja taking up the responsibility of serving the people of Jamnagar is truly a boon for its people. I express my sincere gratitude to him," he said.

Maharaja Shatrusalyasinhji was also a cricketer who captained Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy in 1966-67 and served as the head of the Saurashtra Cricket Association.

He was made the titular head of Nawanagar on February 3, 1966, after his father's death, and was married to a member of the Nepal royal family whom he later divorced.

The family are descendants of legendary cricketer Ranjitsinh Jadeja, who ruled Nawanagar from 1907 to 1933.

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Hubballi: A youngster was brutally murdered with sharp weapons near the Gopanakoppa junction in Hubballi on Friday night. In connection with the case, the police arrested two suspects by shooting them in the leg on Saturday morning.

The victim has been identified as 23-year-old Shivraj Kammar, a resident of Santosh Nagar Road in Gopanakoppa. The murder is believed to be linked to a financial dispute. A group allegedly attacked Shivraj with deadly weapons on Friday night before fleeing the scene.

The arrested suspects have been identified as Sudeep Rayapur and Kiran Jattappanavar. When the Ashok Nagar police took them to their hideout this morning, they reportedly attacked the officers and tried to escape. In self-defense, the police fired at the suspects, hitting them in the leg.

The injured suspects have been admitted to KIMS Hospital in Hubballi. Some police personnel were also injured during the incident. Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner N. Shashikumar visited the hospital to check on the officers. The police are continuing their efforts to arrest the remaining suspects involved in the case.



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