Friday prayers conclude peacefully at Kashmir’s grand mosque

Bilal Bashir Bhat
Srinagar, June 01 (KNB): The Friday congregation prayers concluded peacefully at Kashmir’s grand mosque Jamia Masjid Srinagar, this comes following over 100 persons were injured in forces action on last Friday triggering widespread condemnations from all corners.
Pertinently, Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid Srinagar concluded peacefully a week after government forces injured over 100 people by resorting to heavy pellet and teargas shelling even while chasing the protesters forces fired inside the mosque injuring many faithful and leaving a portion of the mosque splattered with blood. A shutdown was observed on next day of the incident besides a protest rally was carried out which was addressed by Joint Resistance Leaders Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik.



Eyewitnesses said unlike past there was a lesser deployment of government forces around the Jamia Masjid. Hurriyat (M) Chiarman and Mosque’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq had cautioned authorities of widespread protests if forces were again deployed this Friday as according to him the heavy deployment becomes a reason of clashed between forces and people aimed to damage the sanctity of Mosque.
Meanwhile, Anjuman-e-Auqaf Jamia has denied the news that it met any of the police officials/authorities to ensure smooth prayers without any difficulty at Jamia Masjid Srinagar.
“Anjuman Auqaf has already volunteers who are always on their freewill putting their efforts particularly in Ramadan for smooth conduct of prayers,” an Auqaf spokesman said here.
Pertinently, Jamia Masjid is considered as the central place of protests in favor of the Kashmir’s popular sentiment, last year on the occasion of Juma-tul-Vida (Last Friday of Ramadan) the BJP-PDP led government for the first time in living history imposed curfew in downtown Srinagar following no prayers were offered at mosque where usually millions of people assemble to offer prayers on this very particular day.
Meanwhile, a peaceful protest rally was taken out from Jamia Masjid Srinagar demanding the release of Kashmiri political prisoners lodged in and outside Kashmir Valley. (KNB)