New Delhi (PTI): India opener Shubman Gill, who is currently down with dengue, was hospitalised in Chennai after his platelet count dropped below 100,000 but has been subsequently released as he still remains a doubtful starter for the marquee World Cup clash against Pakistan in Ahmedabad on October 14.
Gill, who tested positive for dengue upon his arrival in Chennai last week has been down for the past week and will also miss India's second game against Afghanistan on Wednesday.
"Shubman Gill was on drip at the Chennai team hotel for the last couple of days. However his platelet count dropped to 70,000 and as it is a case with dengue patients, once the count is below 100,000, you are admitted to a medical facility as a precautionary measure. He was admitted for all mandatory tests on Sunday night when India played Australia but by Monday evening was released," a BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
It is learnt that Gill was admitted to a Chennai's well-known multi-care speciality hospital 'Kauvery' and the Indian team's doctor Rizwan has stayed back to monitor his progress.
While there is still 96 hours left for the match against Pakistan, it will be Gill's health which will be paramount for the Indian team management as he requires to be 100 per cent fit for the marathon tournament.
A bout of dengue weakens the body considerably but even for an elite athlete, it does take time to bear the physical bump and grind of a tournament like the World Cup.
In fact skipper Rohit Sharma had said first priority for him is to see that Gill is no longer sick.
"I mean obviously, he is sick. I feel for him. But in terms of, you know, me being the human being first, I want him to get well, not the captain thinking, oh, I want Gill to play tomorrow. No, I want him to get well he you know he's a young guy he's got fit body so he'll recover he'll recover quick," Rohit has said before the game against Australia.
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Lucknow (PTI): The Uttar Pradesh Congress on Wednesday staged a statewide protest demanding a fair and transparent inquiry into the FIR lodged against Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati and those who filed the complaint against him.
In a statement issued here, the party said memorandums addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi were submitted through district magistrates in all districts of the state.
Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Manish Hindvi told PTI that the memorandums were handed over through the district administration in all 75 districts.
In the memorandum, the party alleged that Saraswati and his disciples were "unnecessarily harassed and humiliated" by police on the occasion of Amavasya and were prevented from taking a ritual bath (at the Magh Mela). It further alleged that some disciples were manhandled and taken to a police station.
The memorandum also claimed that an FIR was later registered against Saraswati, his disciple Swami Mukundanand Brahmachari and several unidentified persons in a sexual harassment case. It termed the case a "conspiracy" aimed at tarnishing the seer's reputation.
Citing Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution, the memorandum stated that these provisions guarantee religious freedom and the right of religious denominations to manage their own affairs.
It described the position of shankaracharya held by Saraswati as "one of the highest spiritual posts in Sanatan tradition" and alleged that the entire episode appeared to have been "orchestrated in a planned manner".
"We request that the background of the persons who got the FIR registered be investigated in a transparent manner by a retired high court judge and strict action be taken against them," the memorandum said.
It also sought a "fair and transparent probe" into the allegations levelled against Saraswati so that the truth could be established.
Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai had told reporters in Varanasi after meeting Saraswati that the party stood firmly with him.
The Congress said it would continue to press for an impartial inquiry into the entire episode.
On February 21, an FIR was lodged in Prayagraj against Saraswati and his disciple Mukundanand Brahmachari on charges of sexually abusing two persons, including a minor, over the past year at a gurukul and religious congregations, including the recently concluded Magh Mela.
Days after he was booked, Saraswati had said on Monday that he would not oppose his arrest and asserted that the "fabricated story" would be exposed sooner or later.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Saraswati alleged that criminals rule in Uttar Pradesh, level allegations and influence investigations, as he denied having any contact with the two persons for whose alleged sexual abuse he has been booked.
