Palestine flag on helmet draws police probe against Kashmiri cricketer amid political reactions
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Police action was initiated against the Kashmiri cricketer Furqan Ul Haq after he was purportedly found playing a match wearing a helmet bearing a Palestinian flag, triggering a political outcry as several Kashmiri politicians termed the move unjustifiable, arguing that expressions of solidarity with Palestine do not constitute a crime and align with India’s stance on the Palestinian cause.
According to reports, the Jammu and Kashmir Police summoned Furqan Ul Haq, a resident of Pulwama district, for questioning after a video circulated on social media showing him wearing the helmet during a private cricket tournament held on the outskirts of Jammu city, following which the police initiated a 14-day preliminary enquiry under Section 173(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita with prior permission from a Deputy Superintendent of Police.
The enquiry, police stated, would examine the factual circumstances, the cricketer’s intent and background, and assess any potential public order implications arising from the incident, given the sensitivity attached to the matter.
The controversy arose during a match of the Jammu and Kashmir Champions League at Muthi, nearly ten kilometres from Jammu, where Ul Haq had walked in to bat for his team, JK Eleven Kings, against Jammu Trail Blazers, and objections raised by players from the opposing side reportedly led to him being sent back without completing his innings.
The police called Ul Haq and the private organisers of the tournament to the Domana police station for questioning, while the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association distanced itself from the episode, clarifying that it had no role in the privately organised event.
The incident drew political reactions across parties, with former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti publicly reiterating her support for the Palestinian cause, while Awami Ittehad Party MLA Sheikh Khursheed, brother of jailed Baramulla MP Engineer Rashid, criticised the police action as excessive and selective, particularly in light of similar symbolic expressions by national leaders.
In contrast, Bharatiya Janata Party MLA RS Pathania condemned the act and demanded strict action against both the cricketer and the organisers, linking such gestures to concerns over separatism.
The episode has unfolded against the backdrop of India’s stated foreign policy, which continues to support a negotiated two-state solution for Israel and Palestine, with the Ministry of External Affairs reiterating in Parliament in December 2025 India’s condemnation of civilian casualties, its call for a ceasefire and hostage release, and its backing of humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people.