Star footballer Sunil Chhetri tests positive for COVID-19
New Delhi, Mar 11: Indian football team captain and star striker Sunil Chhetri on Thursday said he has tested positive for COVID-19, a development that is set to rule him out of the international friendly against Oman on March 25 in Dubai.
He is also likely to miss the March 29 friendly against United Arab Emirates at the same venue. The Bengaluru FC star forward took to social media to post the update and said that he is feeling fine.
"In a not-so-happy update, I've tested positive for COVID-19. In better news, I feel fine as I continue my recovery from the virus and should be back on a football pitch soon," Chhetri wrote on his Twitter handle.
"No better time to keep reminding everyone to continue taking all the safety precautions always."
The 36-year-old was competing in the Indian Super League (ISL) till last month in Goa in a bio-secure bubble.
His campaign got over after Bengaluru FC failed to make the semifinals.
The team's last game was on February 25, which Chhetri played and also scored a goal. Bengaluru FC were placed seventh on the table at the end of the league stage.
The former champions logged 22 points after winning five matches, drawing seven and losing eight games.
Chhetri, the second highest goal scorer in international football among active players, scored eight times in the 20 ISL games this season.
As part of the preparation for the two matches against Oman and UAE, the national team is scheduled to assemble for a preparatory camp in Dubai from March 15.
India last played an international match in November 2019, in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Afghanistan (in Tajikistan) and Oman (in Muscat).
Already out of contention for the second round of World Cup qualifiers, India are scheduled to play two home matches against Asian Champions Qatar and Afghanistan, and an away game against Bangladesh.
In a not-so-happy update, I've tested positive for COVID-19. In better news, I feel fine as I continue my recovery from the virus and should be back on a football pitch soon. No better time to keep reminding everyone to continue taking all the safety precautions always.
— Sunil Chhetri (@chetrisunil11) March 11, 2021
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TMC worker shot dead in Bengal's Malda, two other party men injured
Malda (PTI): In less than a fortnight after a senior Trinamool Congress councillor was murdered in West Bengal's Malda district, a TMC worker was killed and two other party members were injured in a shootout incident in broad daylight in the same region on Tuesday, police said.
Like in the previous incident, police suspected that Tuesday's shootout was also a fallout of the party's infighting.
The deceased was identified as Ataul Haque alias Hasu Sheikh and the two injured are Bakul Sheikh, a TMC local committee president, and Esaruddin Sheikh, a senior officer said.
The incident took place in Kaliaganj area in the morning when the TMC local committee president along with party workers went to a function to inaugurate a road, an officer said.
"One of the party workers who were shot at was declared dead by doctors at the Malda Medical College and Hospital. Two others are undergoing treatment there, and their condition was stated to be critical," he said.
"We are questioning people and witnesses. So far, we have not arrested anyone in this matter," the police officer told PTI.
TMC councillor in Malda Dulal Sarkar was killed on January 2, and seven people have been arrested in this connection.
