Ajay Raina
JAMMU, Aug 6: As Government imposed Section 144 and snapped mobile internet services in the winter capital to avoid any untoward incident after scrapping of Articles 35-A and 370, the youth were seen busy in playing ‘Gully Cricket’ and offline ‘mobile games’ including Ludo, 8 Balls Pool, Candy Crash, Solitaire, etc instead of indulging into any unwanted activities.
While the Jammu and Kashmir Government has laid focus on boosting sports to engage ‘misled’ youth of Kashmir and channelise their energies, the youth in Jammu are already more inclined towards sports and games and in view of snapped mobile internet service they loved hitting ‘boundaries’ and ‘sixes’ during ‘Gully Cricket’ viz playing offline ‘mobile games’ including ‘Ludo’, 8 Balls Pool, Candy Crash, Solitaire, etc.
The streets were flooded with youth in parts of the Jammu city enjoying ‘Gully Cricket’ in view of restrictions and snapped mobile internet services.
The demand of tennis cricket balls, usually used in playing ‘Gully Cricket’ was also on rise in parts of the winter capital particularly in shops located in residential areas.
“The youth of present era, which remains busy on mobile were seen shouting and screaming ‘hip hip hurray’ after winning ‘Gully Cricket’ matches,” Susheel Gupta, who is running a Tea Stall shop in Janipur area said.
He said that the youth can be engaged more and more in sports to move them into the right direction instead of making them feel alienated in such situations.
Apart from youth, ‘Gully Cricket’ also turned to be source of entertainment for the senior citizens, who were also seen busy watching the ‘Gully’ matches.
“It is good to see our young boys rather than indulging into any wrong activities playing ‘gully’ cricket and enjoying even during the restrictions,” Ashok Koul, a retired Government employee said.
Not only the parks located in posh localities, the streets were also flooded with such youth.
Apart from ‘Gully Cricket’, the youth in various areas of the winter capital were seen playing the offline mobile games including ‘Ludo’, 8 Balls Pool, Candy Crash, Solitaire, etc.
“We took ample benefit of the restrictions imposed here. I along with my friends assembled in the JDA market near Janipur and started playing ‘Ludo Game’. I wish other youth also indulge in playing offline mobile games and sports rather than indulging into any wrong activities”, Pankaj Waray, a professional photographer having shop in Janipur said.
Asserting that sports is the best medium to keep self engaged and away from negative thoughts, he demanded that the Government must introduce various sports activities to give right directions to the youth especially those who are educated and are unemployed.
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