J&K: Clashes disrupt first-ever marathon

The twenty-one-kilometer marathon was to begin from Naseem Bagh at Kashmir University and go along the scenic Dal Lake.

According to reports, youths shouted slogans in favour of freedom, raised Pakistan flags and pelted rocks on the forces guarding the venue in the varsity.

As many as 15 international athletes had participated in the event, for which more than 15,000 people had registered, NDTV – one of the co-sponsors of the event, reported.

Chaotic scenes were seen on the main ground of University of Kashmir – the venue of the event – as police cane charged the crowd.

“This led to a situation where many kids lost hold of their parents and were seen crying and searching their parents,” a witness said.

They said that police and paramilitary forces fired teargas shells on protesters at Habak crossing near the venue.

The north Indian state has seen flashing clashes after the Jammu high court clamped a  state-wide ban on the sale of beef, which is being seen as a reduction of freedom of choice by the Kashmir valley’s Muslim population.

Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was also scheduled to take part in the event but later cancelled due to clashes and later took to social networking site Twitter to post his remark as he said, “The theme for the 5 KM run was ‘save the Dal’. It’s such a pity that politics had to come in the way of that also.”

A Jammu and Kashmir Police Spokesman in Srinagar said, “The function was going on smoothly till some miscreants within the crowd started passing obscene and lewd comments at girl participants and those in the audience. The incidents of passing remarks were also witnessed at Habbak crossing. Instances of molestation of girls by rowdy elements were reported at the Kashmir University and en-route,”

“Cases have been registered into the incidents of molestation and eve teasing at Police Station Nigeen and twelve  miscreants involved in molestation and eve teasing have been arrested so far,” the spokesman said.

Expressing disappointment over the reported highhandedness by some youth with the female participants at the international half-marathon at Kashmir University this morning, Peoples Democratic Party President Mehbooba Mufti called it a raucous behavior which is unacceptable in a civilized society.

“ State’s civil society should rise against such unruly behavior where our daughters are being dishonored by misguided disruptive elements,” Mehbooba said in a party convention.

“I don’t know what was wrong with this marathon and why the youth tried not only disrupt it, but also humiliate the female participants both from within and outside the state,” she said and added that such chagrining acts only bring bad name to the society and the institutions.

(Reporting by Saleem Iqbal Qadri)