Srinagar: No Friday prayers were allowed in the historic Jamia Masjid in downtown Srinagar, where curfew-like restrictions have been imposed to prevent protests after prayers against ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims in the Rakhine state of Myanmar.
Official sources said restrictions under section 144 CrPc have been imposed within the areas falling under five police stations of Srinagar district, including Khanyar, Nowhatta, Safakadal, MR Gunj, Rainawari in downtown to prevent protests.
All the roads leading to Jamia Masjid, stronghold of moderate Hurriyat Conference(HC) chairman Mirwaiz Moulvi Umar Farooq, remained closed. the main gates of the historic Masjid, where Mirwaiz is addressing Friday congregation every week, were locked.
Mirwaiz, who also heads “Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU)”, joined by several other religious leaders had urged people to hold peaceful protests after Friday prayers in solidarity with the Rohingya Muslims. However, Mirwaiz was put under house arrest in his house to prevent him from leading the protest march.
A large number of security forces and state police personnel remained deployed outside the Masjid and adjoining areas to stop any movement on the roads.
“There was also no ‘Azaan’ (call for prayers) in the historic Masjid today,” local residents said, alleging that nobody was allowed to enter the area.
However, prayers were offered in the Valley, barring in mosques on main roads in the areas where restrictions were imposed. People offered prayers in mosques in the interior areas in restricted areas. But, people took to streets at various places in Kashmir in solidarity with the Rohingya Muslims.
Friday prayers were offered at Hazratbal shrine, which houses the holy Relic of Prophet Muhammad, on the bank of Dal Lake. Reports of offering of Friday prayers were also received from other parts of the valley.
