Sushil to represent India at CWG 2018
New Delhi: Two-time Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar on Friday prevailed in the trials conducted for entry into India's wrestling squad for the 2018 Commonwealth Games to be held at Gold Coast, Australia, in April.
The 34-year-old, who is India's only two-time Olympic individual medallist, defeated Jitender Kumar 4-3 in the final qualification round of the 74 kg category at the KD Jadhav Stadium.
He had previously won two gold medals in Commonwealth Games -- in 2010 in New Delhi and 2014 in Glasgow.
After the Glasgow Games, Sushil suffered injuries and even missed the 2016 Rio Olympics.
He returned to action at the National championships last month, and had recently won gold at the Commonwealth Wrestling Championships in Johannesburg.
Meanwhile, in an incident which should have been avoided, alleged supporters of Sushil and his opponent Parveen Rana clashed at the stadium.
The scuffle allegedly broke out after Parveen bit Sushil during a trial match.
"It's very unfortunate and highly condemnable what has happened today at the stadium. I do not support anyone who gets violent in between sportsmanship. My aim is to fight & win for my Nation like a true sportsman & not to win against any group or individual #JaiHind," Sushil tweeted reacting to the incident.
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Stampede at Mahakumbh in Prayagraj leaves many injured, casualties feared: Reports
Prayagraj: A stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj has left many injured, with reports suggesting casualties as well. The incident took place in the early hours of Wednesday at the Sangam, where lakhs of devotees had gathered for a ritual dip on Mauni Amavasya, one of the most significant bathing days of the Kumbh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath to assess the situation. The Rapid Action Force (RAF) has been deployed to manage the massive crowds and restore order.
According to a social media content creator who witnessed the incident, the stampede occurred around 2:30 am as devotees reached the Sangam banks. The confusion arose when people carrying heavy luggage on their heads struggled to find an exit route after their ritual bath. Many tripped over iron dustbins that were not visible in the darkness, leading to a chain reaction of people falling.
"I managed to stand up and help my parents and another woman who were on the ground. Soon, panic spread as some youngsters in the crowd began pushing, triggering the stampede," the eyewitness said.
Jagadguru Swami Rambhadracharya has urged devotees not to insist on bathing only at the Sangam Ghat due to the heavy crowd. Akhada Parishad General Secretary Mahant Hari Giri also appealed to people to take a dip in the Ganga at safer locations and return to their camps to avoid further chaos.
Authorities have taken steps to restore order, including clearing access routes for akhadas and deploying security personnel at key points. Meanwhile, some akhadas have postponed their scheduled snan due to the incident.
The Mahakumbh, which began on 13 January, has reportedly already witnessed over 15 crore pilgrims taking a holy dip, with more than 4.8 crore participating on Tuesday alone. The festival is set to conclude on 26 February.
Special Executive Officer of the Kumbh Mela Authority, Akanksha Rana, downplayed the severity of the incident, stating, "A stampede-like situation occurred after a barrier broke at Sangam Nose. Some people sustained injuries, but no one is in serious condition."
