Srinagar,Jan 2: A controversy erupted in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday after a Kashmiri cricketer was seen wearing a helmet bearing the Palestinian flag during a private domestic league match in Jammu, prompting police questioning and political reactions.
The incident occurred on January 1, 2026, during a match of the Jammu and Kashmir Champions League (JKCL) in Jammu district. Furqan Bhat, who was playing for the local team JK11 against the Jammu Trailblazers, appeared on the field with a helmet displaying the Palestinian flag. Videos of the match quickly circulated on social media, triggering objections from several users in Jammu and calls for action against the player.
Players associated with the tournament said the visuals went viral soon after the match began, following which the Jammu Police summoned Furqan Bhat for questioning. The organiser of the tournament, Zahid Bhat, was also called to explain the circumstances surrounding the incident. Police sources said both the player and the organiser were questioned to ascertain the intent behind the display of the flag and to examine whether any rules or conditions governing the event had been violated.
Official sources said no First Information Report (FIR) had been registered in the matter till Thursday evening. Senior police officials in Jammu declined to comment publicly, while sources maintained that the inquiry was at a preliminary stage and focused on gathering facts related to the match, the organisers and the permissions under which the tournament was being held.
The episode has also drawn political attention in the Jammu region. Senior BJP leader and MLA RS Pathania said the incident amounted to an attempt to use a sporting platform for what he described as a “subversive agenda” or, alternatively, reflected “absolute insensitivity” to India’s stated position on international issues. He urged the authorities to conduct a detailed probe into the matter and to take appropriate action against those involved.
Amid the growing controversy, the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association sought to distance itself from the tournament. JKCA officials said the Champions League was not organised under the association’s aegis and that Furqan Bhat was not affiliated with the body. “The tournament has no connection with the JKCA, and the player is not registered with us,” an official said, adding that the association had no role in regulating or supervising the event.
Police officials said they were also examining the role of the organisers and the venue where the match was played, including whether requisite permissions had been obtained. They said the questioning was aimed at establishing the sequence of events and the rationale behind the player’s action.
The incident comes at a time when expressions of solidarity with Palestine have sparked debates and protests in several parts of the world amid the continuing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. India has maintained that it supports a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict, calling for the creation of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel.
For now, the police said the matter remains under examination and that further steps, if any, would be taken after the inquiry is completed.
