Srinagar: While tourists, Amarnath pilgrims and students continue to flee Kashmir Valley after the authorities issued a security alert, over 100 players including former cricket all-rounder Irfan Pathan took flights and buses from Srinagar to return home on Sunday.
Pathan, the “mentor” of J&K’s state teams, was in Srinagar to oversee the trials for the U-16 (Vijay Merchant Trophy) and U-19 (Cooch Behar Trophy) and prune the list of probables. He, along with age-group aspirants, left for their respective homes after the officials of J&K Cricket Association postponed the remaining trials in view of “prevailing security situation” in the Valley.
According to available statists, over 500 students pursuing professional studies in various colleges of the Valley had reached Jammu by Saturday evening and have since left for their respective states by trains from Jammu Tawi Railway Station. Among them were the students of Srinagar’s NIT who had reached the winter capital in State Road Transport Corporation buses.
