Friday prayers not allowed for second week in Jamia Masjid in Srinagar

Srinagar, Oct 19: Friday prayers were not allowed for the second successive week in the historic Jamia Masjid in downtown Srinagar, where curfew-like restrictions remained imposed for the second day as a precautionary measure to prevent protests after prayers.

Official sources told UNI that curfew-like restrictions remained imposed for the second successive day in the downtown, Shehar-e-Khas (SeK) and parts of civil lines in Srinagar as a precautionary measure to prevent protests after Friday prayers.

All the roads leading to Jamia Masjid remained closed with barbed wire. Chairman of moderate Hurriyat Conference (HC) Mirwaiz Moulvi Umar Farooq remained under house arrest since October 7.

The separatists had on Thursday called for a general strike against civilian killings, besides raids, arrests of youths.

All gates of historic Jamia Masjid, where no Friday prayers could be offered last week, remained closed since Thursday. 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 being 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.

Friday prayers were offered at Hazratbal shrine, which houses the holy Relic of Prophet Muhammad, on the bank of Dal Lake, though the number of devotees was again very less as compared to even normal days as people could not come from other parts of the valley fearing trouble.

Reports of offering of Friday prayers were also received from other parts of the valley.