Dozens of activists yesterday stormed the Mumbai offices of India’s cricket board to disrupt planned talks on resuming matches against Pakistan, the latest protest by hardline Hindu activists in the city.
About three dozen supporters of the Shiv Sena party barged into the headquarters of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and shouted anti-Pakistan slogans at BCCI president Shashank Manohar.
“Six people are being held in custody and we are registering an offense of rioting,” Mumbai Police Deputy Commissioner Dhananjay Kulkarni told reporters.
“Thirty-five were involved, so we are looking to arrest a few more,” he added.
The protesters demanded that Manohar cancel talks with Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shahryar Khan that were scheduled to take place in Mumbai yesterday.
Khan on Sunday arrived in the city to discuss the possibility of an India-Pakistan series, which has run into doubt over strained relations.
Local media reported that the talks would instead be held in New Delhi today, but there was no official confirmation from the BCCI.
India and Pakistan have been bitter rivals since gaining independence from Britain in 1947 and have fought three wars. The archrivals have not played a Test match since Pakistan toured India in 2007.
Pakistan are due to host India for a full tour in the United Arab Emirates in December — one of six series the archrivals agreed to play between this year and 2023 under an agreement signed last year — pending New Delhi’s clearance.
However, relations between the South Asian nuclear rivals have been strained, with continued border ceasefire violations from both sides, leading to the cancelation of a meeting between their security advisers in August.
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