Jammu and Kashmir cricketer held in Bangalore, let off

BANGALORE - An under-22 cricketer from Jammu and Kashmir was arrested here Saturday after traces of explosives were found in his bag. He was freed after a while and the bag was sent for forensic examination, police said.

Police said Pervez Rasool, a student of Bachelor of Arts from Anantnag, was taken into custody from the Chinnaswamy Stadium, leading to the rescheduling of the Champions League T20 match between Cape Cobras and Victorian Bushrangers.

“We have questioned him and he has been let off. The bag will be sent for forensic examination,” Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) M.R. Pujar said.

Rasool was staying in the rooms in the Chinnaswamy Stadium after reaching the city late Friday to participate in the C.K. Nayudu tournament.

Bangalore Police Commissioner Shankar Bidari said metal detectors at the stadium sent out signals Friday night indicating the presence of explosive in a 300-metre radius. The stadium staff informed the police Saturday.

“Our experts searched the area. The signals led to room no. 105 in the stadium. There we found a bag with traces of explosives. The bag belonged to Rasool,” Bidari told reporters.

“It appears the bag might have been used in the recent past to transport explosives,” Bidari said.

Salim Khan, secretary of the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association, termed the arrest “100 percent harassment by police. Nothing has been found. He is clean”.