J&K cricketer plays with Palestine Flag on Helmet, summoned by police

The Jammu and Kashmir Police summoned cricketer Furqan Bhat for donning a Palestinian flag on his helmet during a local match. 

Bhat set off a political controversy following the Jammu and Kashmir Champions League tournament match between JK11 Kings and Jammu Trailblazers, prompting Jammu Rural Police to summon him for questioning.

The league’s organiser, Zahid Bhat and the ground provider were also called in, probing if the display was deliberate and why the guidelines were overlooked.

While the J&K Cricket Association has distanced itself from the incident, saying that the private league is not  officially affiliated.

The visuals sparked backlash online, with social media users branding it a calculated provocative move, insisting cricket should not serve as a stage for political propaganda or foreign symbols given India's delicate security landscape.

 The incident unfolds against global protests for Palestinian statehood post-Israel-Hamas ceasefire, with Gaza facing food and medicine shortages, as Israel allegedly eyes banning aid groups, a move NGOs warn could derail fragile gains.  India has upheld  its two-state solution policy on the issue.