Hero's welcome for
Qamar in Kolkata

Schools closed early and thousands of people poured onto the streets to accord Commonwealth Games gold medal-winning pugilist Mohammed Ali Qamar a hero's welcome on his return to Kolkata on Wednesday.

Qamar, who arrived from Delhi, was led in a convoy of vehicles to his residence at Ekbalore in the western part of the city amidst the beating of drums and showering of petals.

A large number of people, mainly comprising those from Qamar's locality, assembled at the NSC Bose International airport since early morning to catch a glimpse of the boxer who earned the country's first-ever boxing gold at the Commonwealth Games by outclassing Darren Langley of England in the light-flyweight final in Manchester on Saturday.

The chants of 'Ali Qamar zindabad, Bengal zindabad, Hindustan zindabad' rented the air as the boxer was taken around the Kidderpore area in an open vehicle, decked with the tri-colour.

Two local schools, where Ali had studied, declared a half-day to enable the students join in the celebrations.