New Delhi, Nov 21: Some political parties are on a mission to shield the infiltrators by opposing the voter verification drive being undertaken by the Election Commission of India (ECI), said Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday.

The searing swipe by the Home Minister comes on the back of West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee’s urgent appeal to the poll panel to stop the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) — currently underway in 12 states, including three union territories.

Addressing an event in Gujarat, HM Amit Shah said that stopping infiltration in the country was not just necessary but also the need of the hour because of the threat it poses to the country’s demography and democracy.

“Preventing infiltration is not only necessary for the security of the country, but also essential to protect our democratic system from being corrupted. Unfortunately, some political parties are opposing the ‘ghuspaithiya hatao’ campaign and the voter list purification drive being carried out by the Election Commission under SIR,” he stated.

Reiterating the pledge to oust infiltrators and outsiders, he said that every single infiltrator will be identified and thrown out of the country.

“It’s the people of this country and not the infiltrators who will elect their representatives,” he added.

The Home Minister’s remarks come just a day after Mamata Banerjee dashed off a letter to the Election Commission, demanding a stay on the ongoing SIR exercise on the grounds of ‘alienating the common public and snatching their right to vote’.

“I would request you to kindly intervene decisively to halt the ongoing exercise, stop coercive measures, provide proper training and support, and thoroughly reassess the present methodology and timelines,” Mamata Banerjee wrote in a letter to CEC Gyanesh Kumar.

She also claimed that many BLOs (Booth Level Officers) were under extreme pressure and fear of punitive action and were resorting to “submission of incorrect or incomplete entries, thus risking disenfranchisement of genuine voters and eroding the integrity of the electoral roll”.

Her letter drew backlash from the BJP, including the state unit, which not just dismissed her charges but also accused her of trying to derail a lawful process.

Mumbai, Nov 21: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said on Friday that it is inviting applications for the position of Head – Cricket Education at its Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru.

The position was held till recently by former India cricketer Sujith Somasunder, who is now contesting for Vice President’s post in the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) elections as a member of the Venkatesh Prasad-led panel.

“This full-time position is central to BCCI’s long-term vision of developing a world-class cricket education system that supports coaches, athletes, state academies and high-performance programs across the country. The Head – Cricket Education will oversee the design, delivery and continuous advancement of cricket and sports-science education at the COE,” BCCI said in a release.

The role is open to candidates up to the age of 58 and the term of work to be determined as per the employment offer. Applications must be submitted by 5 pm IST on December 8. Following screening and shortlisting, selected candidates may be invited for personal interviews as part of the evaluation process.

The ideal candidate’s qualifications and experience should be to have a proven track record in developing and delivering cricket‑education programmes. Applicants must be an active Level‑3 coach (or higher) with impeccable credentials, international playing or coaching experience preferred.

They should also have a strong background in coach training, player‑progress reporting and high‑performance systems is required, along with a minimum of five years’ experience working with elite athletes; prior experience as a trainer with cricket players is essential.

The ideal candidate should demonstrate excellent communication skills and the ability to work with diverse groups across domestic and high‑performance ecosystems, coupled with high integrity, discipline, people‑assessment skills and leadership ability.

The selected applicant will be responsible for administering all aspects of coach education, accreditation and curriculum development at the CoE, including planning, implementing and reviewing all coaching courses, including Level A, B and C programmes, as well as conducting and coordinating nationwide refresher courses for coaches.

The candidate should also know about using modern performance-analysis tools such as athlete-management systems, video analytics, GPS and wearable technology to derive actionable game insights, as well as collaborate with the Head of Cricket, CoE, on online education initiatives and the development of advanced coaching modules.

The person will also be managing the re-accreditation process for coaches and ensuring world-class documentation of coaching content, as well as work with BCCI’s Umpires Panel and Head Curator on educational seminars, examinations and specialised training interventions.

Other responsibilities include supporting coach-intake processes for CoE, Zonal Cricket Academies and specialist camps and assessing suspect bowling actions referred to the CoE and presenting findings to relevant committees.

Mumbai: A fire broke out in scrap materials kept under the bridge outside the Byculla railway station on Friday morning, sending up thick plumes of smoke that were captured in a video shared widely on social media. The footage, recorded from a moving car and posted on X (formerly Twitter), showed smoke engulfing a section of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Road and briefly reducing visibility for motorists.

The blaze was reported at 10.02 am in scrap material stored beneath the bridge, directly opposite the Byculla police station. The Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) quickly deployed fire engines to the spot and the flames were extinguished by 10.14 am, just 12 minutes after the emergency call.

Authorities confirmed there were no injuries in the incident. Traffic movement, which had slowed due to drifting smoke, returned to normal soon after firefighting operations concluded. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, and civic officials are examining whether improper storage or accidental ignition triggered the blaze.

The video has sparked concerns about the recurring risk posed by scrap piles and waste material often left unattended under bridges and along major roads.

Today’s incident comes close on the heels of another blaze earlier this week in Kurla West, where a damaged gas pipeline burst during excavation work conducted with a JCB machine on November 19. The sudden leak resulted in a fire on the ground floor of a four-storey residential building in LIG Colony. Four fire engines were rushed to the spot, and while no casualties were reported, the blaze triggered panic among residents.