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| Campaigning for 'Save Water', PHE Minister faces bottled water fury in Kashmir | | Poor security arrangements fail Kashmir's first international marathon; Police arrests 12 for molestation of participating girls | |  ET Report
SRINAGAR, Sept 13: Exactly minutes ahead of the award distribution ceremony at first ever international marathon, the Big Kashmir Marathon, hosted by the most popular radio channel 92.7 Big FM at Kashmir University here, unruly mobs attacked the podium making Government top brass and other guests flee from the spot in an embarrassing way.
Thousands of people Sunday morning made it to Kashmir University at Hazratbal to participate in Valley's first-ever international marathon, hosted by the radio channel run by Ambani's. But it was mostly the poor security arrangements, which proved spoilsport at the event aimed at promotion of public welfare particularly conservation of water and water resources.
In the morning at 6:00 AM, when the run was flagged off, some miscreants waved Pakistani flags and raised anti-India slogans. But despite this embarrassment, the security forces failed to beef up arrangements for subsequent event, the award ceremony held three hours later, which was to be attended by Cabinet Ministers and other top brass.
As the PHE Minister Sukhnandan Kumar arrived at the venue for prize distribution, some miscreants started throwing water bottles, meant for refreshment, towards the VIP lounge. This infuriated the Minister who summoned SP Hazratabal condemning the poor security preparedness.
In the meantime mob took control over nearby kiosk where refreshment bottled were stocked in bulk. They started throwing the bottles on Sukhnandan who as asked to take refuge under the podium. But Sukhnandan said he was not scared of water bottles and in reaction stood up on his chair. "I am for water conservation awareness and I will stay here," Sukhnandan said.
In no time hundreds of such bottles, started raining on Sukhnandan. This time he had no options but to run away.
As the Minister was fleeing, the mob attacked the podium while some girls complained of alleged molestation by unruly mobs voicing pro-freedom slogans.
The situation turned so unpredictable that SSP Srinagar Amit Kumar had to pick up a rod and chase the mobs who declined to flee. The protesters vandalized the stage and attempted to torch a police vehicle after the security forces intervened to break the protest by using bamboo sticks.
The event was attended by Ministers, top bureaucrats including Farooq Ahmed Shah and other civil and police officials. But Sports Minister Imran Raza Ansari and former Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, who were scheduled to attend returned from half way after learning about eruption of clashes.
The protesting youth tore off the hoardings and banners that donned the marathon route and brought wooden carts used by labourers and fruit sellers from a nearby market to place them in the middle of the stretch of the road between Hazratbal and Habak to block the way.
Soon reinforcements arrived at the scene to remove the barriers and bring the situation under control. Police also fired teargas canisters and resorted to cane charge to disperse the protesting youth.
The half marathon was organised by Big 92.7 FM, a nationwide private FM radio station owned by noted businessman Anil Ambani. The organisers had advertised the event as the first International marathon in Srinagar and participation was open to everyone. Some International professional runners and cricketer Parvez Rasool were among around 5,000 people from different parts of the State and rest of the country participating in the marathon.
While clashes were underway, firebrand separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani wrote on micro-blogging site Twitter.com "There is no point of holding Indian Corporate sponsored marathons while most of the damage to our ecosystem is caused by the Indian troops".
Former Chief Minister and opposition National Conference (NC) working president Omar Abdullah tweeted "I was looking forward to a nice, quiet run which wasn't to be. Just as well I was advised against participating". In yet another tweet, 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 police official said maximum restraint was exercised as many in the crowd were children. "We didn't want children to get hurt, so had to play safe," said a police official.
Meanwhile a police handout confirmed that some girls in the crowds were molested by unruly mobs. Police said 12 accused have been arrested.
"A sporting event was organized today at Kashmir University which attracted a huge gathering mostly of youth. Besides some International marathoners, a large number of locals also participated. The race was flagged off as scheduled and 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," the police handout said.
"FIRs have been registered into the incidents of molestation and eve teasing at PS Nigeen and 12 miscreants involved in molestation and eve teasing have been arrested so far," the police handout said. |
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