Srinagar, Sept 30, KDC: Fifteen spectators were detained at a Police Martyrs’ Football Tournament in Srinagar on Tuesday evening after they allegedly failed to stand during the national anthem, an incident their families have attributed to a “low and inaudible” band performance that left them unaware the anthem had begun.
Official sources told Srinagar-based news gathering agency Kashmir Dot Com that the final of the Police Martyrs Football Tournament was attended by the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, at the Synthetic Turf Football Ground in TRC, Srinagar, in the late afternoon.
As per standard protocol, the national anthem was played by a live band during the ceremony. However, officials from the Kothibagh Police Station subsequently detained 15 individuals from the spectator stands for failing to rise during the anthem, the sources said.
In the aftermath of the detention, parents and relatives of some of the detained individuals have come forward with an explanation.
They claim that the incident was not an act of deliberate disrespect but an unfortunate misunderstanding.
“The national anthem was played by a band, and from where they were sitting, the sound was very low and unclear,” stated one concerned parent who wished to remain anonymous. “They simply did not hear the anthem begin and were therefore unable to stand in time. It was a genuine mistake, not intentional disrespect.”
The playing of the national anthem at public events is governed by strict protocols, and showing respect by standing is considered a fundamental duty of citizens. The Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, deals with intentional disrespect to the national anthem and the Indian flag.
Sources said that the individuals were detained for not complying with the protocol. They added that an investigation is underway to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the incident. (KDC)
