Srinagar, July 2: Owing to the imposition of curfew and tougher security restrictions across Indian Kashmir, the Friday prayers could not be offered in historic Grand Mosque and other mosques and shrines in the region.
The Friday prayers have also been hit by the curfew on Kashmir
Thousands of police and paramilitary soldiers armed with riot gears were deployed in every nook and corner of the Indian Kashmir. The cops had placed blockades and concertina wires on the roads at almost all entry points in Srinagar, the summer capital of Indian Kashmir and other parts of the region. The soldiers were strictly enforcing curfew and were not allowing any kind of movement. Only people with curfew passes were allowed to move on.
The restrictions were tougher today as the separatists had given a call for “Eidgah March”. Eidgah is the central place in Srinagar and hundreds of people, who were killed in turmoil in the region since 1989 are buried in the graveyard, named as “martyrs graveyard”. All roads leading to the Eidgah were sealed.
Owing to tougher curfew and security restrictions, police and paramilitary soldiers did not allow Muslim worshippers in Kashmir to visit mosques and shrines and offer Friday congregational prayers, which is obligatory for a Muslim.
No Friday congregational prayers could be offered in historic Grand Mosque (Jamia Masjid) in old city and hundreds of other mosques and shrines across the region, which has been seething under curfew since Friday last.
During 2008 land row agitation, the authorized disallowed Friday prayers in the grand mosque for at least eight weeks in succession by enforcing curfew and security restrictions in Srinagar and other parts of Indian Kashmir.
The curfew was initially imposed in Sopore in North Kashmir after killing of two youth in paramilitary soldiers firing on June 25. However, the curfew was extended to Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir after six more youth including a teenager died in police and paramilitary soldiers firing on peaceful and unarmed protests.
