Jammu and Kashmir: Four held for playing Pak anthem during cricket match

Jammu and Kashmir police have arrested four individuals for playing the Pakistani national anthem on a loudspeaker during a cricket match at a local club in the Bandipora district of North Kashmir.

A video of the cricketers standing in attention as the Pakistani national anthem played in the background at the Government Higher Secondary School became viral on social media networking sites and was also circulated widely via WhatsApp in north Kashmir. Police have registered a case under Unlawful Activities Act and have arrested four players, besides calling others for questioning. "We have arrested four people," Sheikh Zulfikar Azad, senior superintendent of police, Bandipora, told DNA.

Sources said the final match of the tournament was played between two local village teams in the grounds of the government school on January 3. Before the match commenced, the national anthem of Pakistan was played on a loudspeaker with players of both teams standing in attention. The video helped police identify the players. Parents of the players of both teams were counselled to avoid being part of such incidents in future.

Cops are on the lookout for the organisers of the tournament. "We are investigating all angles to unravel the truth and solve this case," said an officer.