Days after Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council hit the headlines following the alleged clash between a martial art player and the Secretary of Sports Council in her chamber, Jammu and Kashmir Administration while taking a serious note of the incident said that the facts are being verified and action will be initiated only after the police submits its report.
Secretary, Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council, Nuzhat Gull claimed to be assaulted by a girl martial artist in her chamber on Wednesday afternoon that led her to injuries.
An FIR was registered in this case and the girl identified as Nighat Bashir was taken into custody at Srinagar.
Meanwhile the karate ka in a video circulated on social media and while speaking to a select media leveled allegations against the Secretary asserting that she prompted her to react after she allegedly misbehaved with her.
“What has happened, we are looking into it,” Alok Kumar, Principal Secretary, Jammu and Kashmir Department of Youth Services and Sports.
Mr Kumar said, “we will see what went wrong. Let us see. We are verifying the facts and have taken cognizance into the incident.”
“Facts are yet to be verified as allegations are leveled from both the sides,” said the Principal Secretary adding that FIR is lodged in this matter wherein Secretary Sports Council, Ms Gull is the complainant.
“It is both a side story and further will be seen, what was the situation and what led to the provocation,” said Mr Kumar.
The government officer however, said, “wait for the facts and further course of action depends upon the police report.”
Pertinently, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha is also the President of J&K Sports Council.
Meanwhile the Third Additional Munsif Judicial Magistrate, Srinagar has granted bail to an athlete in a case filed against her at the police station Shergari stating that “she was not a habitual offender”.
The learned counsel while pleading for the bail before the Third Additional Munsif Judicial Magistrate in Srinagar stated that the applicant (Nighat Bashir) is innocent and is not involved in any crime or offense and has been arrested without any cause or justification.
Filing the objections, the learned counsel said that police in the report have stated that investigation has been concluded and nothing further remains for the same in this regard.
The court also said that surety bonds to the tune of Rs 25,000/- have been furnished, attested, and made part of the instant application.
Protests sparked in parts of the Union Territory in support of the Secretary Sports Council as players condemned it saying that sportspersons should not behave in this manner.
“Sports teaches discipline and patience and the assault is really condemnable,” the protestors carrying banners agitated and demanded action against the karateka and the self styled sports associations as well.
Moreover, some of the players allegeding nepotism and malpractices in the J&K Sports Council have appealed to the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to intervene as President of the highest sports institution to prevent such incidents in future.
A Jammu based RTI activist Balvinder Singh had also recently demanded that the funds should be released to sports bodies on the basis of their performances.
Mr Singh said that many associations are holding elections in close door meetings in hotels instead recommending the election to be conducted through ballot voting and the decisions will check malfunctioning and monopolized by such bodies.
“It is surprising why this dismal performance doesn’t catch the eye of the J&K Sports Council,” he said and expressed concern about sports in this region.