Shopian Police host high-voltage volleyball final, Super Strikers lift title

Shopian, Nov 29: Amid biting winter cold, the Imamsahab area of south Kashmir’s Shopian district echoed with loud cheers on Saturday as two local teams battled in a tense volleyball final hosted by the Shopian Police under its Civic Action Programme.

The tournament began on November 25 with seven teams from across the district. On Saturday, the four-day event concluded with a final that remained tense until the last serve, as Super Strikers Shopian edged Junior Strikers Nagbal in a narrow 3–2 win.

Senior Superintendent of Police Shopian Mushtaq Ahmad Choudhary, who inaugurated the tournament earlier in the week, stood by the sidelines during the closing ceremony, handing out cash prizes and trophies to both finalists. “The kind of participation we are witnessing is promising. It not only encourages young players but also inspires us,” SSP Shopian told reporters after the prize ceremony.

Beside him were DySP DAR Shopian, DySP PC Imamsahib, and SHO PS Imamsahib, who also attended the ceremony.

For many residents, the tournament offered a rare break—a chance to gather, cheer, and briefly forget the daily anxieties tied to the region’s political shifts and economic pressures. “It has been a long time since we saw an excited match this close,” said one spectator, applauding as both teams posed for photos.

Others said the event helped revive community spirit, especially for younger boys who increasingly lack organised sporting opportunities, and that this wasn’t the first time Shopian police tried to widen the sporting landscape.

Notably, earlier this month, they organised a cricket tournament for differently abled players, an event that local disability activists described as “quietly historic” for a district with few platforms for inclusive sports. Participants from that tournament still recall the applause that followed them long after the final ball was bowled.