National-level football referee Bugai Soren's career is facing a question mark following an injury to his left eye.

The 40-year-old tribal farmer, who has also been refereeing for over a decade, injured his eye on March 12. A small but sharp piece of wood pierced his eye while he was chopping a log at his home in Narwapahar in East Singhbhum.

He was rushed to Jamshedpur Eye Hospital in Sakchi before being admitted to Disha Eye Hospital at Barrackpore in Bengal. Soren finally went to L.V. Prasad Eye Institute in Hyderabad where a surgery was performed on Wednesday to remove the splinter.

But his retina is damaged.

"Though Soren is otherwise well, we are worried," city-based ex-FIFA referee Binod Kumar Singh said. Singh has mentored Soren.

A Jamshedpur Sporting Association referee, Soren has officiated in I league senior and junior matches.

Chess meet

The East Singhbhum District Chess Association has received 125 entries for the senior district chess championship, which will kick off on Friday at the eastern wing of JRD Tata Sports Complex.

They include well-known chess stars Anshul Nigam, Vikas Tiwary and Ajit Masih. The chief guest of the opening ceremony will be Tata Steel sports wing chief Ravi Radha Krishnan.