By Bilal Furqani, Agence India Press
Srinagar: Authorities imposed strict restrictions in the summer capital here and in several parts of the Valley to thwart yet another protest march called by Hurriyat Conference on Friday. Owing to restrictions, Friday prayers couldn’t be held in the historic Jamia Masjid for the fourth consecutive Friday today even as the ongoing shutdown entered 28th day.
The Jamia Masjid at Nowhatta in the Old City was sealed from all sides by troops who were deployed outside since early morning.
People in the locality alleged that they were not allowed to offer Friday prayers in mosques. Nobody was being allowed to go near the mosque, a local resident said.
This is for the fourth Friday that no prayers were allowed at the historic Masjid, a spokesman of the Hurriyat (M) told Agence India Press.
Most of the downtown localities also remained under restrictions. Scores of police and paramilitary troopers deployed across the old city to maintain law and order.
Authorities re-imposed curfew-like restrictions in a Srinagar and other towns of Kashmir Valley on Friday to scuttle Khanqah-E-Moula March in Srinagar on the call of Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani against alleged human rights violations by security forces.
The Hurriyat (Geelani) has called for a march to Khanqah-E-Moula in the Old city and offer Friday prayer protests across the Valley.
The protests are part of the group’s ‘Quit Kashmir’ programme to highlight alleged human rights violations.
State authorities moved heavy police and paramilitary reinforcements into the Old City to enforce the restrictions early morning.