Friday Prayers Not Allowed In Jamia Masjid In Srinagar

Friday prayers were not allowed for the eighth successive week in historic Jamia Masjid in downtown Srinagar and some other major mosques in Kashmir valley, where life remained crippled for the 53rd successive day due to strike against scrapping of Article 370 and Article 35 A on August 5.

However, prayers were allowed in Mosques in the interior areas in the valley.

Official sources said that curfew-like restrictions were re-imposed in downtown and some other parts of Srinagar since early Saturday, to prevent protests after Friday prayers.

All gates leading to Jamia Masjid remained closed and people were not allowed to enter the worship place, while hundreds of security forces have been deployed in and around the historic mosque to prevent assembly of people.

The roads leading to Jamia Masjid, a stronghold of moderate Hurriyat Conference (HC) Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq, were also closed with barbed wires and people were being directed to take alternate routes to reach to their destinations. At Hawal, Nowhatta and Rangar stop security forces that have closed roads to leading Jamia masjid with barbed wire.

Similarly, other major masjids in different parts of the valley were also closed for devotees. But, reports of the offering of Friday prayers came from smaller local mosques in the valley.

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