Jammu and Kashmir: Friday prayers disallowed in Jamia Masjid for 13th week

Meanwhile, curfew-like restrictions were imposed in parts of the Shehar-e-Khas (SeK) to prevent ‘Khawaja Degar’ (Asar) prayers at the shrine of Hazrat Naqashband Sahib this afternoon.

However, prayers were allowed in mosques in the interior areas in the valley.

Official sources told UNI that restrictions under section 144 CrpC remained imposed in some areas in downtown and other parts of Srinagar since early today to prevent protests after Friday prayers.

However, the situation was entirely different on the ground, as all gates leading to Jamia masjid remained closed and people were not allowed to enter the worship place. All roads leading to historic Jamia Masjid in the down town were closed to prevent assemble of people in the worship place, stronghold of chairman of moderate Hurriyat Conference (HC) Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq. The Central Paramilitary Forces (CPMFs) remained deployed in the Jamia market and outside the Masjid, where no prayers were held since August 5.

Similarly other major masjids in different parts of the valley were also closed for devotees.

All roads to the shrine of Hazrat Naqashband Sahib have been closed with barbed wire, including at Khanyar, Rangar Stop, Nowhatta and Rajouri Kadal, since early this morning. Security forces are directing people to take alternate route to reach civil lines from outskirts. Additional security forces were deployed since early this morning around the shrine, where 22 martyrs of 1931, who were killed by Dogra police outside the central jail, are buried.

But, reports of offering of Friday prayers came from smaller local mosques in the valley.

Image: Wikimedia Commons