No Congregational prayers at historic Jamia Masjid for 5th straight week, uncertainty prevails across Valley, separatist, mainstream leaders remain caged, Soura residents stage protest rally
Srinagar, Sep 06 : For the fifth consecutive Friday, the Jammu and Kashmir administration didn’t allow the congregational prayers at the historic Jamia Masjid in Srinagar even as curbs were imposed in parts of Kashmir, especially downtown parts of Srinagar. The top mainstream and separatist leaders continued to remain confined to their homes for the 33rd straight day.
According to news agency, pools of concertina wires were placed on all the major roads of Srinagar’s downtown areas that include Mahraj Gunj, Safa Kadal, Nowhatta, Rainawari, and Khanyar.
Witnesses told that huge deployment of security forces was made in downtown parts with heavy deployment of security forces personnel wearing riot gear to deal with the possible Protestors
For the fifth consecutive Friday, the Srinagar administration didn’t allow congregational prayers at the historic Jamia Masjid, Srinagar. Kashmir’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq continues to remain under house detention since August 5 so is the aged separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani and others. At least 50 mainstream leaders were detained post abrogation of Article 370 and they have been lodged in sub-jail Centaur.
In civil line areas, no restrictions were in place. Eye-witnesses said that private vehicles were plying normally in the uptown Srinagar that include Raj bagh, Jawhar nagar, Lal Chowk, Dalgate and other areas.
A police official told that no untoward incident took place across Kashmir except Soura-Anchaar area where a law and order situation was reported post Friday prayers. Eye-witnesses, however, told that a protest rally was witnessed in Soura and Anchaar area after Friday prayers. The protestors were protesting against the scrapping of Article 370.
Inputs from KNO
