ISLAMABAD: Authorities in Indian-occupied Kashmir have summoned a local cricketer for police questioning after a video showing him wearing a helmet bearing a Palestinian flag triggered an online backlash, drawing criticism over India’s intolerance of political expression.
According to Indian local media, police in Jammu have launched a 14-day preliminary inquiry into the incident, which occurred during a local league match, citing the “sensitivity of the matter” and its potential implications for public order.
The reports said the inquiry would examine the facts of the case, the player’s intent, and whether any further action is warranted, as stated by a police official.
The cricketer, identified by police as Furqan-ul-Haq, is a resident of Pulwama district in south Kashmir. The video, widely shared on social media, shows him wearing the helmet while participating in a match of the Jammu and Kashmir Champions League at Muthi, around 10 kilometres from Jammu city.
According to police officials, objections were raised by players from the opposing team after Furqan walked in to bat for his side, JK Eleven Kings, against Jammu Trail Blazers. He was subsequently asked to leave the field and did not take further part in the match.
An official of the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA), Brigadier Anil Gupta, said the tournament was privately organized and did not fall under the association’s jurisdiction. “The matter was brought to our notice, but it is being dealt with by the local police,” he said.
Police confirmed that both Furqan and the organizers of the tournament were later called to a police station for questioning as part of the inquiry.
Last month, United Nations human rights experts sharply criticised New Delhi’s security crackdown in Indian-occupied Kashmir, warning that counter-terrorism operations launched after the April 22 Pahalgam attack had led to mass detentions, alleged torture, collective punishment, and sweeping restrictions on civil liberties.
In a statement, the UN said Indian authorities detained around 2,800 people, including journalists and human rights defenders, under laws allowing prolonged detention without trial, reported punitive house demolitions without due process, imposed communication blackouts, and blocked thousands of social media accounts.
While condemning the attack, the experts stressed that India’s response violated international human rights law and called for the immediate release of those arbitrarily detained.
The incident with Kashmiri cricketer has reignited concerns among rights advocates over shrinking space for political expression in Indian-occupied Kashmir, where athletes and civilians alike increasingly face scrutiny and punitive action for symbolic acts deemed politically sensitive by authorities.
