Four arrested in IoK for honouring Pakistan’s national anthem at cricket match

Videos of the incident went viral on social media

Two cricket teams were booked and some players reportedly detained after they stood in honour of Pakistan's national anthem played before the start of a match in Indian occupied Kashmir's (IoK) Bandipora disctrict.

Videos of the incident which took place on January 3 went viral on social media after which the arrests were made,  reported Hindustan Times.



According to HT, the video shows two cricket teams, one wearing white and one wearing green, standing in two lines on the pitch as Pakistan's national anthem played in the background. The players were also seeing bowing their heads as the national anthem played.

While police confirmed the booking of the teams and arrest of individuals, they did not divulge any details about the number of people who were arrested and the identity of the teams. Local reports say that four people have been arrested.

“The teams have been booked,” said senior superintendent of police Bandipora, Sheikh Zulfikar Azad.

Local news portals report that the incident took place during the final of a local cricket tournament in Arin, Bandopara between MCC, Gondipora and Dardpora Cricket Club. Reports state that local police are also on the look for the organisers of the match.



In April last year, Indian authorities arrested Kashmiri cricket players after a video clip of them wearing Pakistani jerseys and reciting the Pakistan national anthem made the rounds on social media.