Police initiate sports activities for youth in Panipat, Sonepat

Mukesh Tandon

Panipat, December 27

The police authorities of Sonepat and Panipat have adopted a new way to keep youth away from crime and drugs — turning them towards playgrounds.

The Panipat police are organising a special four-day sports festival at the district headquarters from today. Meanwhile, the Sonepat police, too, have started organising sports events in villages.

SP Ajit Singh Shekhawat on Wednesday said the police are encouraging the youth to take up sports to make them physically fit and to keep them away from crime and drugs. He inaugurated the sports meet at Sewah village stadium and addressed the youth.

“As the sports meet is for the youth, it has been named Panipat Youth Games,” ASP Mayank Mishra said. “Games such as volleyball, kabaddi, tug of war, besides various races and long jump will be organised for both men and women for four days and over 1,500 youth of various villages are participating in the sports festival,” he said.

In Sonepat, where around 96 persons were murdered in the district this year, which is the highest number in the state, several criminal gangs are active. Bharti Dabas, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Gohana, said, “We have been planning to divert the energy of youth towards sports.”

Games such as volleyball, cricket, tug of war and kabaddi have been organised in Butana, Mohana, Barota and Madina village this week, the DCP said.