Srinagar: An international half-marathon turned violent in Jammu Kashmir when clashes broke out between protesters and police in Srinagar after Pakistani flags were raised at the event. Police had to resort to lathicharge to disperse the angry protestors.
This is not the first time that Pakistani flags have been raised in the state. Such incidents are witnessed almost every week after the Friday prayers.
The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday claimed that some miscreants allegedly indulged in "eve-teasing and molestation" of female participants at the first-ever International half-marathon in the Kashmir Valley on Sunday morning, which created "disturbances" in the event.
"Some people tried to misbehave with female participants. There were many complaints of eve-teasing and molestation which are condemnable," Waheed Para, PDP youth president and political analyst to Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, said.
Police said a group of youths indulged in sloganeering and started pelting stones at the forces during the event. Tear gas shells were used to disperse them. Para said that those who indulged in sloganeering and raising of Pakistani flag were also behind the alleged eve-teasing and molestation cases.
He said the event was apolitical and some politicians had voluntarily registered for it. "We condemn the incident. It was an apolitical event, no politician was invited. Some politicians like former chief minister Omar Abdullah and myself had voluntarily registered for it," he said.
Clashes broke out between a group of youth and security forces near the venue of the event in Hazratbal area. The 21-km half marathon was flagged off on Sunday morning from the Kashmir University at Hazratbal. It passed through the banks of Dal Lake along Foreshore Road.
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