New Delhi, (PTI): Heavyweights Mumbai, Karnataka and Delhi have been clubbed in virtual "group of Death" in the Ranji Trophy, which will start from January 5 next year.

Along with the multiple time Ranji champions are Hyderabad, Maharashtra and Uttarakhand in the Elite group C.

Defending champions Saurashtra are clubbed with Tamil Nadu, Railways, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand and Goa in Elite group D.

Last year's runners-up Bengal has a relatively easy group (Elite B) with Vidarbha, Haryana, Kerala, Tripura and Rajasthan.

Another interesting group will be Elite group A that has Gujarat, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Services and Assam.

The Elite E group has Andhra, Uttar Pradesh, Baroda, Odisha, Chattisgarh and Pondicherry.

The Plate group will comprise Chandigarh, Meghalya, Bihar, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh.

The six cities where matches will be played are Mumbai (Elite A), Bengaluru (Elite B), Kolkata (Elite C), Ahmedabad (Elite D), Trivandrum (Elite E) and Chennai (Plate).

There will be a five-day quarantine for teams ahead of each game.

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Chikkamagaluru: A young man's lifeless body with a gunshot wound was found at Ukuvagilu village late Thursday night.

The deceased, identified as Sanju (33) hailing from Keremakki village, was discovered on the main road near Uluvagilu with a fatal chest wound inflicted by a bullet.

The Police suspect it to be a hunting accident. The precise nature of the incident remains unclear; whether it was a mishap or a deliberate murder is yet to be determined, pending further investigation by the police.

Sanju, the son of the late Julegowda from Keremakki, leaves behind his mother and sister.

A case has been filed with the Mallandur police station.