Srinagar, Oct. 15 -- Wearing a safety vest and uniform while splattering colours across a mock battlezone, paintball is fast winning hearts in Kashmir.

Once known mainly for cricket and football, the valley is now witnessing a fresh wave of recreational excitement as paintball - the global combat sport born in the U.S. makes its entry in Srinagar's Rajbagh.

It all began with young entrepreneur Tajamul, who transformed the top floor of a building in Rajbagh into Kashmir's first and only indoor paintball arena. The game offers a taste of action long missing from the region's leisure scene.

"I wanted to bring something new to Kashmir, something that takes people away from their daily scrolling or online gaming and lets them enjoy in a saf...