Indian Army, J&K Police Help Kashmiri Woman Wheelchair Basketball Player Reach Chennai Selection Camp In 48 Hours

Amid the ongoing restrictions in the Kashmir valley, the Indian Army and the Jammu and Kashmir police, along with retired military officers, helped a Kashmiri wheelchair basketball player in reaching a selectionn camp in Chennai within 48 hours, reports The Hindu.

According to the report, the 20-year-old Ishrat Akhter, the woman wheelchair basketball player who hails from Baramulla district in Kashmir, has been selected to represent India for the pre-Olympic qualifying tournament in Thailand in October.

“When I was told I had to reach Chennai for the selection camp, I didn’t think it would happen. But now, I am so happy that I don’t have words to express it,” said Akhter who was paralysed from the waist below after a fall in 2016.

Akhter’s journey was reportedly made possible by retired defence personnel, with their key coordinator, Colonel Isenhower leading the effort from his home at Kothamangalam using a mobile phone.

According to Colonel Isenhower, he was informed by retired naval captain Louis George, who is the head coach of the Indian Women Wheelchair Basketball, about the absence of two male players selected from J&K in the training camp held in Chennai from 23 to 27 August.

“He said one woman player, Ishrat Akther, had also not reported. Mobile communications were disrupted in the Valley and she had to be located and sent by flight to report latest by 4pm on Tuesday, 27 August,” he added.

Colonel Isenhower, who had served in Kashmir for a long time, then sent out WhatsApp mesages with available information about Akhter to all his contacts following.

“One Brigadier Nietzche Balan (retired), who had commanded a Brigade in that area of Kashmir, took up the issue earnestly. Poonacha, my former colleague in Kashmir, took it upon himself to activate the J&K Police through Senior Superintendent of Police Aijaz Bhatt,” he said.

Just hours after the message was posted, Akhter was contacted at her remote village in Baramulla. She was given the permission to travel on 26 August and officials helped her in reaching Kashmir.

Colonel Isenhower booked her ticket from Srinagar to Delhi and then to Chennai, where she was received by coach George and other team members.