Dropped players may have framed Rasool

The cricket authorities in Jammu & Kashmir had received hints before Parvez Rasool’s arrest in Bangalore that some people were mischievously trying to project him as a terrorist.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said the episode has rubbed salt into the wounds of the people in the valley.

“We have learnt that the Bangalore police’s machine (by which explosives in Rasool’s bag were supposedly detected) was faulty. It’s like rubbing salt into the wounds of the Kashmiri people,” said Abdullah.

The police in Bangalore picked up Rasool on Saturday on suspicion of carrying explosives, which turned out to be a misapprehension.

The Jammu & Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) received information that some elements directly or indirectly associated with the organisation were trying to project a few players in the under-22 team as terrorists. Rasool was in the team.

A highly-placed source in the JKCA said: “A JKCA official a few days ago received two anonymous phone calls from different numbers. The callers said the JKCA had sent terrorists to play.”

Sources in the organisation told HT that a few persons promised some players that they would be selected. However, they were not, and then they (drop-outs) planned to harass the team, they added.

Sources suspect that these people called the police in Bangalore and told them that Rasool was carrying explosives.

When contacted, JKCA Chairman Mohammed Aslam Goni said: “JKCA President Farooq Abdullah has made it clear that a few elements in the JKCA called the Karnataka police and has asked the J&K DGP to investigate the matter.” The JKCA has lodged a protest with the Board of Control for Cricket in India.