In restive south Kashmir, cricket teams named after Hizbul Mujahideen militants

Burhan Lions, Aabid Khan and Khalid Qalandars Aryans. These three local cricket teams that played in a tournament, finished Sunday in Tral, share more than just a love for the sport - they are all named after the alleged fighters.
The tournament, said one of the organizers, was held in the memory of Khalid Muzaffar Wani, the brother of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani. Khalid was killed by the army last year, when he went to meet his brother in the woods of Pulwama, a militant fortress. The army had called Khalid a militant and said he died in an encounter.
The two months tournament - the first of its kind in Tral, in the heart of a recalcitrant south Kashmir - saw participation of 16 teams from the city and its surroundings. Of the 16, had at least three-inspired militant commander named. Other teams drew inspiration from the IPL and the recently launched Pakistan Super League for names.
He is now the most recognizable face of militancy in Kashmir Burhan, the inspiration behind Burhan Lions is known in the area as a cricket-loving boy from next door and the son of a director who join home the Hizbul Mujahideen in 2010 left.
Aabid Khan Qalandars named after Hizbul militant commander Aabid Khan, who was killed in 2014 during an encounter that also claimed the life of an Army colonel.
The Khalid Aryans - named after Burhan brother - was the trophy to lift on 24 April the United XI of Tral defeat.
"Was organized the tournament of Khalid's friends in his memory," said an organizer. "This is the first time that we have seen teams after militant commander named."
"Pro-freedom songs" were played at the opening ceremony of the tournament on February 22, while was invited at the finals, and Khalid Burhan father Muzaffar Ahmad Wani as guest of honor. When he presented the trophy to the Aryan Khalid cheered a lot of more than 1,000 in the Tral Eidgah ground.
"This (naming teams after militants) here, the new normal is," said another organizer. "In Tral, everything was passed by the events around us touched, and cricket is no exception."
The tournament was planned in the second week of April, but delayed in the valley after the Handwara killings because of the shutdown to finish. "We had 16 teams and 31 matches," said an organizer. "We decided to hold not a game on the day of closing."
The Jammu and Kashmir police and the army for two months from Eidgah ground off a to allow "peaceful" tournament, organizers said, and added. "First, we had concerns that the police or the army could interfere But good feeling prevailed, and they stayed away. "