SRINAGAR: Cultural activities have come to a halt at Kashmir Valley’s lone performing stage for art and culture – Tagore Hall – after its officials received threat calls.
“The officials have received some calls about the (cultural) activities being carried out at Tagore Hall in Srinagar. I do not have the full details of it yet,” Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Cultural and Languages Aziz Hajini told PTI.
Hajini said he has sought a detailed report from the Manager of Tagore Hall in this regard.
Manager of the Hall, Mohammad Ashraf Tak, said the venue had been given on rent to a performing group for showcasing their play and other acts yesterday.
“We had received a call from anonymous caller asking to stop the activities like song and dance… while the artists were performing yesterday, we received another call saying seven to eight of their men were among the 200-odd audience.
They asked us to stop forthwith, which we did to ensure that no one is harmed,” Tak said.
The caller was angry, saying these kind of activities were going on at the hall even after several youths were killed in security forces’ action after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter last year, he said.
Police have taken cognizance of the incident and started investigations to trace the caller.
“We are in early stages of investigation. However, adequate security will be provided to artists who wish to perform at Tagore Hall,” a police official said.
Tagore Hall, known as the hub of cultural activities, was built in 1958 to mark Rabindranath Tagore’s centenary celebrations.–PTI
