By Syed Hamid
Srinagar- A somber mood is prevailing in Kashmir as Muslim’s celebrate end of fasting month of Ramazan indoors amid a strict curfew imposed a day before to stem the coronavirus spread.
No Eid prayers were offered for the fourth consecutive time at the major mosques and shrines of Kashmir as police enforced a strict curfew in most parts of the valley, including Srinagar city
The news of Shawwal moon sighting came at around midnight when majority of people had gone to bed, reconciled that Thursday will be the last day of Ramazan. However mosque loudspeakers blared with announcements during the night after moon was sighted in neighbouring Pakistan. Kashmir’s Grand Mufti soon released a statement announcing the end of fasting month.
Meanwhile police and paramilitary forces deployed in strength on roads across Srinagar and other major towns were enforcing strict lockdown.
The roads have been blocked with concertina wires to prevent any vehicular movement, reports said.
Notably, the government had already announced that there shall be no relaxation in restriction on Eid day.
The lockdown was imposed with less restrictions across Jammu and Kashmir 14 days back to prevent the virus from spreading. The authorities say Corona Curfew across Jammu and Kashmir will continue till May 17.
Faithful offer Eid prayers in garden of a mosque in Srinagar | KO Photo By Abid Bhat
Muslims offer special prayers as a mark of thanksgiving to the almighty at the end of the month-long Ramzan fasting.
This is the fourth time in a row that Eid was celebrated in a subdued manner in Kashmir. Last year, Eid-ul-Azha prayers were low key in view of the pandemic, while Eid-ul-Fitr prayers could not be offered in May due to a COVID-induced lockdown.
Before that, Eid-ul-Azha prayers in 2019 could not be offered in Kashmir as authorities had imposed a strict curfew in the wake of the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution and bifurcation of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into Union territories.
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