Marathon turns violent: Clashes mar maiden Kashmir run

SRINAGAR: The first international half-marathon in restive Kashmir was turned into an “Azadi” outburst on Sunday. Clashes between stone-throwing youths and the police took place in and outside the Kashmir University campus at Hazratbal here, the venue of flag-off and prize distribution ceremonies. 

 

The police said 12 persons have been arrested on charges of eve-teasing and molestation of female participants of the marathon.

 

As the marathon set off from the picturesque campus on the banks of Dal Lake, youths, including students, began chanting pro-freedom slogans and one of them waved a Pakistan flag. 

 

The protesters also vandalised the stage and attempted to torch a police vehicle after the security forces intervened to break the protest by using bamboo sticks.

 

The event was attended by some ministers, top bureaucrats and other civil and police officials but the State’s sports minister Imran Raza Ansari and former chief minister Omar Abdullah, who were also to attend, returned half-way after learning about eruption of clashes.

 

The clashes later spread out of the campus and this correspondent was caught in the middle of clashes between stone-throwing youths and the police, first at Hazratbal and then again at nearby Habak Chowk. 

 

The protesting youths tore off the hoardings and banners that donned the marathon route and brought wooden carts used by labourers and fruit sellers from a nearby market to place them in the middle of the stretch of the road between Hazratbal and Habak to block the way.