Cricketer Suresh Raina
- September 02, 2020
- Updated: 01:51 am
DW BUREAU / New Delhi
Former India cricketer Suresh Raina, who pulled out of the IPL citing personal reasons, on Tuesday demanded a thorough probe into the violent attack on his aunt's family in Punjab, revealing that after his uncle, his cousin has also died. The 33-year-old returned to the country last week from the UAE, where the league will begin on September 19. In his first statement since landing in the country, Raina, however, did not say that the attack, allegedly a case of robbery, was the reason why he came back. "What happened to my family is (sic) Punjab was beyond horrible. My uncle was slaughtered to death, my bua & both my cousins had sever (sic) injuries. Unfortunately my cousin also passed away last night after battling for life for days. My bua (aunt) is still very very critical & is on life support," he said.
Raina's relatives were attacked on the night intervening August 19 and 20 in Thariyal village in Punjab's Pathankot district. His uncle died a few days later. "Till date we don't know what exactly had happened that night & who did this. I request @PunjabPoliceInd to look into this matter. We at least deserve to know who did this heinous act to them. Those criminals should not be spared to commit more crimes. @capt amarinder @CMOPb," he added, tagging Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh. Raina retired from international cricket on August 15, alongside former India captain and close friend Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
His departure from the IPL triggered intense speculation on the possible reasons behind it. Franchise owner and former BCCI President N Srinivasan, who seemed to be upset with the batsman in his early statements, later said that the team will stand by the all-rounder. Raina played 18 Tests, 226 ODIs and 78 T20 internationals for India. Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday condoled the death of cricketer Suresh Raina's relatives in an attack by robbers in Pathankot and assured that the guilty will be brought to book. DGP Punjab has set up a Special investigation Team (SIT) to probe the attack on relatives of cricketer Suresh Raina on the orders of Chief Minister Captain Amrinder Singh, who is personally monitoring the case. The chief minister's assurance came after Raina requested the Punjab Police to look into the incident in a tweet and tagged it to the chief minister. The attack by robbers had taken place in Pathankot's Tharyal village on the night intervening August 19 and 20. While the cricketer's uncle died on the spot after sustaining head injuries, a 32-year-old cousin of Raina passed away at a private hospital on Monday night.
(editor@dailyworld.in)