Srinagar match: How the Army made a terrible decision

New Delhi: The Army has been widely criticized for deciding to skip a cricket match in Srinagar at the last moment. The Ranji Trophy match was meant to begin on Tuesday.

But NDTV discovers that the question of participation was discussed and deliberated at various levels in the army for at least a fortnight.

In its assessment in early October, the Srinagar-based 15 Corps Headquarters said the Services Team could be targeted by militants posing as spectators.

This assessment was sent up to the Northern Command in Udhampur which endorsed the withdrawal. The big mistake here: that nobody realized how the pull-out  would damage the efforts, of the Army and the government,  to project Kashmir as a safe place.

The Northern Command sent the 15 Corps' recommendation to the Delhi-based Directorate of Military Training  which handles, among several important issues, the Sports section of the Army.

The Directorate of Military Training passed on the Northern Command's decision to the Services Sports Control Board, a tri-service organisation, currently controlled by the Indian Navy.

The Services Control Board then decided to pull out.

Now, the Army Headquarters wants a complete  explanation from 15 Corps and Northern Command.

"If I would have known about it, I would not have let it happen. All sporting events should take place in Srinagar," said P Chidambaram, Home Minister.

Locals points out that  the cricket stadium is located in one of the safest parts of Srinagar. Official residences of several state ministers are located here. The Jammu and Kashmir team also plays here regularly.