Friday prayers not allowed in Jamia Masjid for 4th week in Srinagar

Friday prayers were not allowed for the fourth successive week today in historic Jamia Masjid in downtown Srinagar, where curfew-like restrictions remained imposed for the third day as precautionary measures.

Officials said that restrictions under Section 144 CrPC continued for the third consecutive day today in the areas falling under five police stations of Nowhatta, M R Gunj, Safa Kadal, Khanyar and Rainwari in the down town and Shehar-e-Khas (SeK).

Meanwhile, Friday prayers were offered in rest of the Valley, barring in mosques on main roads in the areas where curfew-like restrictions were imposed in the downtown and SeK.

All the roads leading to Jamia Masjid, where chairman of moderate HC Mirwaiz Moulvi Umar Farooq addresses congregation every Friday, remained closed with barbed wire. 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 restriction-free areas in the Valley.

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.