Police term death threat to football coach as 'prank'

"We have identified the caller. He is a student and is presently out of state," a senior police officer said.

"The law will takes its course. We have traced the phone which was used to make the call. So far, we do not see any threat (to the coach)," he added.

The officer, however, refused to divulge details of the youth, saying it might hamper the investigations.

Marcos, who had started the International Football Academy Trust to train the valley's youth four years ago, decided to leave following death threats and attacks on him over the past three months.

"I got a threatening phone call a few days back. The caller said that I and my family will be killed in three days. So, I have decided to leave Kashmir," Marcos told PTI on Monday.
He said he had passed the information to the local police, who, he said, were cooperative.

Marcos said it all started in January when one of his dogs was mysteriously killed a couple of days before the Republic Day celebrations.

"The next day my second dog was poisoned and a couple of days later, my vehicle was vandalised and the brakes failed," he said.

Marcos claimed that the authorised service dealer for his Mahindra vehicle told him that the 'brake failure' was not accidental but a deliberate act of sabotage.

"I had come here to teach young people football but when my security and that of my family is compromised, I better leave this place," he added.

Marcos arrived in Kashmir four years ago on a short visit but decided to set up a permanent base after being impressed by the raw talent here.

He set up an academy and sent three players to Brazil for training with some leading clubs under an exchange programme, which saw some upcoming players from the Brazil visiting Kashmir as well.