Srinagar, Mar 22: Friday prayers were not allowed in the historic Jamia Masjid in downtown Srinagar, where restrictions had been imposed since Friday morning as a precautionary measure. Officials said that restrictions were imposed in downtown Srinagar following a call for protest by Joint Resistance Leadership against the custodial killing of school teacher Rizwan Asadh Pandit.
All gates of historic Jamia Masjid in the downtown remained closed and people were not allowed to move towards the historic mosque. Chairman Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Moulvi Muhammad Umar Farooq, who was scheduled to address Friday congregation was also been put under house arrest.
The historic Jamia Masjid frequently remains closed due to prevailing situation. A large number of government 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 told news agency CNS, alleging that nobody was allowed to enter the area.
