J&K cricketer's detention: Farooq blames local players

Srinagar:

Farooq Abdullah, a Union minister and JKCA chief, on Sunday injected a new angle into a state cricketer being detained by Bangalore police saying it was the handiwork of some "disgruntled elements or cricketers sidelined in selection."

Parvez Rasool, part of the state team for a under-22 cricket tournament, was detained on Saturday after traces of explosives were found in his kit bag but was subsequently released after questioning by police for lack of any evidence.

The incident prompted nervous organisers of the ongoing Champions League to delay the start of its Twenty20 matches at the M Chinnaswamy stadium where the state team was put up.

"Some disgruntled elements or cricketers sidelined in the selection have made phone calls to Bangalore police about the presence of explosives in the bags," said Abdullah, adding, "They have done these things and are responsible for it."

Abdullah, who is the president of the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA), said he is going to request the Director General of J and K Police to investigate the matter.

"I can't totally blame the Karnataka government for this, we should look at ourselves also."

The JKCA met on Sunday and reiterated its demand for an apology from Bangalore police. "Our boys were harassed. The Bangalore police should apologise for the harassment of players," Association General Secretary Saleem Khan said.

Asked whether the team would be recalled, Khan said, "We are waiting for instructions from the JKCA President Rasool's brother Asif meanwhile accused the Bangalore police of high handedness saying he was detained for objecting to use of sniffer dogs to check his bag which had the holy Quran in it.

Police meanwhile said in Bangalore said it was still awaiting the forensic science laboratory results on the bag seized from Rasool on the suspicion that it may have contained residue of explosive materials.

"We are still awaiting the results", a top official said.

A metal detector detected signals emitting from his bag suggesting that some explosives may have been concealed in the bag. However, a search of the bag yielded nothing.

The police seized the bag and sent it to forensic experts for further examination.

A KSCA official said the players of the J and K team had been moved from the Chinnaswamy stadium to a nearby hotel.

The official said the players would play the tournament.

On reports of technical snags that could have probably developed in the metal detector, he said "we have no clue on that".