The arrest of nine boys in Shopian under the anti-terrorism law, Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), for participating in a cricket match in memory of a slain militant has halted all sporting activities at the site where the game was played leaving sports lovers aghast. For now, only the cattle are having a free run at the field where locals also assemble for Eid prayers twice a year.
The match was played in memory of slain Al Badr militant Syed Ruban at Rambiara on the banks of Jhelum river on August 4.
After the match, Ruban’s brother Syed Tajamul had distributed cricket uniforms among players, inscribed with Ruban’s name. He had also clicked photos of the ceremony.
Tajmul and eight players had also visited the grave of Ruban to recite al-Fatiha—prayers for the deceased (a common practice among Muslims—on the way back to their homes.
Later, photos of the uniform distribution ceremony and prayers were circulated on social media.
According to informed sources, a press release about the event was also distributed to the media, but no newspaper carried any report on it.
On September 1, the police summoned the players, who had visited Ruban’s grave with Tajamul, for questioning and slapped UAPA on them.
Tajamul, an MBA graduate who works in a private company, was arrested from Srinagar where he had gone for some work.
According to sources, the nine boys have been kept in the police stations in Keegam and Shopian in two groups.
The families of the arrested boys have met them in the police stations but they have no idea about the severity of the charges levelled on them, sources close to them said.
SSP Shopian Amrit Pal Singh confirmed to THE WEEK that the boys have been booked under UAPA for “glorifying militancy”.
Syed Muhammad Hussian told THE WEEK that his son didn’t distribute the uniform to glorify militancy. “Reciting Fatiha for the dead is a common practice,” he said.
Sources close to the families said the police have told them not to speak with the media as it would “worsen matters” and hamper the release of the boys.
The families will now have to move the anti-terrorism court in Jammu for bail.
The slapping of UAPA on nine young boys, most of who are educated and one is a teacher, has created a stir in Shopian and Kashmir in general.
According to locals, the ground where the match was played is deserted. Normally, there used to be some sporting activity and spectators would throng the place, but not anymore, locals said.
The dominant feeling in Kashmir is that on one hand, the government is trying to encourage youth to take to sports to prevent them from falling prey to social evils and joining militancy, but on the other hand, it has adopted an iron fist policy to deal with impressionable minds for acts that can be better handled by counselling.
Before taking up militancy, Ruban loved the sport and had earned a reputation for being a good player. In July 2018, he joined the Al Badr militant group and was killed six months later in Budgam in an encounter with security forces.
