Kozhikode: Kerala Police had always been one of the most sought-after names in the field of sports after the achievements made during 1984 to 1990 especially in volleyball, football, athletics and swimming at the national level. Many of the finest sportpersons in the country were trained under this label. Now, the force would be known for starting an exclusive police sports hostel for the first time in the country.
The first-ever police sports hostel 'Javelin' was inaugurated by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan near SAP ground in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday. The three-storeyed hostel has kitchen, dining hall and recreation hall.
In the golden age of Kerala police, it had at least one or two representatives in a few national sports teams. Nearly 173 sportspersons were recruited to the force during this period. The appointments through sports quota were virtually frozen for nearly a decade. However, with a new policy in place since 2009, 24 players have been recruited, and the practice is persisted with.
Now, instead of the five teams the force had during 1984-90, four other teams for judo, wrestling, handball and shooting - have also been formed.
