No Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid for 13th straight week

Srinagar

Life across Kashmir Valley remained suspended on 89th consecutive day on Friday with all shops and business establishments remaining closed to protest against the decision taken by Delhi on August 5, which abrogated special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 of the constitution and bifurcated the erstwhile state into two Union Territories (UT’s) – Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh respectively.

Amid tightened security arrangements, no Friday congregational prayers took place in historic Jamia Masjid on 13th consecutive week. Moreover, prepaid mobile service, internet and rail chugging are yet to restore in Kashmir Valley despite passing three months over.

According to Kashmir News Service (KNS), authorities re-imposed restrictions under Section 144 in downtown parts of Srinagar and other areas of Kashmir Valley ahead of Friday. As per reports, authorities had employed strict restrictions in several police stations including Nowhatta, Safa-Kadal, Rainawari, Krala-Khud and Khanyar where forces personnel were deployed both in interior and exterior areas to thwart any untoward incident. The sensitive area of Nowhatta where historical Jamia Masjid is located witnessed the huge deployment of forces who remained alert to foil any untoward incident after Friday prayers.

Eyewitnesses told KNS that in the morning of Friday locality was surprised to see that all roads leading to historical Grand Mosque were sealed. They said, at 11:00 am whey local people tried to step out towards Grand Mosque to offer Friday congregational prayers, forces personnel didn’t allow them and pushed the faithful to interiors and hence the Mosque remained closed on 13th consecutive week.

Reports said all shops and business establishments remained closed while public traffic remained off the roads. In Northern and Southern parts of Kashmir Valley, people observed complete shutdown with all shops and business units remained closed while traffic was off the roads.

Prepaid mobile facility and internet services are yet to restore in Kashmir Valley. Though authorities on October, 14 resumed post-paid mobile services after 72 days of communication gag. However, no train across Kashmir Valley chugged on 89th straight day.

However authorities while commenting on the situation, said situation across Kashmir remained peaceful on Friday with no untoward incident reported from any part of Valley. (KNS)

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