First time, shrines, mosques out of bounds for Eid prayers in Valley

“This is unprecedented,” Omar Abdullah told The Indian Express. “For the first time in my life, I was not able to go and offer Eid prayers. I can understand people will feel that the government is interfering in their religious affairs,” he said. State Congress president Ghulam Ahmad Mir said he travelled to Jammu only for Eid prayers. “For the first time in my life, idgahs were sealed. Even people offering prayers were beaten with batons,’’ he said.

While curfew was imposed across the Valley, two persons were killed and more than 50 injured in separate clashes with security personnel in south and north Kashmir. It was the first time in 26 years when Eid was observed under curfew, clamped in view of a call by separatists urging people to march to the office of the United Nations Military Observer Group. There was no traffic on the National Highway and main roads.

Security personnel patrolled the streets, keeping close watch on the movement of residents. People were allowed to offer prayers at neighbourhood mosques and Idgahs, away from the main roads. No Eid prayers could be offered at the Jamia Masjid in Srinagar. “This is for the first time that Jamia Masjid has been closed for Eid prayers,” said Syed-ur-Rehman Shams, secretary to Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the head priest of the grand mosque.

The shrines of Khanqah-e-Moula and Dastgeer Sahib were locked and security personnel stopped people from moving towards the Hazratbal shrine and the Sufi shrine of Sheikh Hamza Makhdoomi at Rainawari. “We offered (Eid) prayers at the shrine mosque but only a few people were present,” said Showkat Ahmad Makhdoomi, a member of the shrine management. “We offered it late in the morning”. An official said while people were not allowed to enter the Hazratbal shrine, a select group of people from around the shrine was allowed inside.

In Bandipore, 21-year-old Mustafa Mir was killed when he was hit in the head by a tear smoke shell. His death sparked protests at five places in Bandipore town and at least three persons sustained pellet injuries.

In South Kashmir’s Nagbal area, 19-year-old Shahid Ahmad Shah was killed when security personnel cracked down on protesters. “He had multiple pellet injuries and was brought dead to the hospital,’’ the Chief Medical Officer of Shopian said. At Bijbehara, the home town of Mehbooba Mufti, people defied curfew and tried to offer Eid prayers at the Zirpara Higher Secondary School. At least 15 persons were injured in clashes with security personnel.