SRINAGAR: Scores of people, including women and children were wounded after paramilitary forces reportedly fired teargas shells and pellets inside the historic Jamia Mosque in the old city during clashes in the area soon after Friday prayers.
[[{“type”:”media”,”fid”:”33625″,”view_mode”:”wysiwyg”,”instance_fields”:”override”}]]
Worshippers and Jamia Masjid Auqaf alleged that Government forces barged inside the mosque and fired tear-smoke shells and pellets on people present there. The forces action, according to eyewitnesses left nearly 100 persons, including women and children wounded.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq blamed security forces presence in the area for the tension and clashes around Jamia Masjid and Nowhatta. Heavy deployment of Govt forces around Jama Masjid even in this holy month leading to tension & agitation. Dozens of civilians injured after forces resorted to pellet & teargas shelling! Large number of people unable to come out of the mosque. Condemn the deployment and forces action, Mirwaiz tweeted.
Eyewitnesses said that clashes erupt shortly after the culmination of Friday prayers at the mosque when youth coming out of it pelted stones on deployed forces.
They added that forces personnel lobbed tear-smoke shells and fired pellets to disperse the protesters who pelted stones on them.
[[{“type”:”media”,”fid”:”33626″,”view_mode”:”wysiwyg”,”instance_fields”:”override”}]]
Situation inside the spwaling mosque turned into chaos when teargas shells and pellets landed there even from above the surrounding roof.
While many young boys got their pellets removed with the help of people present, most of the injured remained inside the Masjid. Announcement about the mouting injuries was made repeatedly through the mosque loudspeakers. People alleged that police did not allow shifting of injured to hospital by closing all exits.
Earlier, when thousands were heading to offer Friday prayers, armed forces could be seen surrounding the Masjid and alleys leading to it.After the sermon given by the head priest Mirwaiz Umar Farooq which touched social issues and the recent incident involving Indian army Major Litul Gogoi slogans could be heard from within the mosque premises.
Moreover, the journalists who were inside the mosque to cover the sermon of the Mirwaiz alleged that they were deliberately targeted by the forces. Many scribes too were injured in the forces action.
Photo Journalist Ahmer Khan who was outside the mosque covering protests said that pellets were directly fired at them however they escaped unhurt.[[{“type”:”media”,”fid”:”33627″,”view_mode”:”wysiwyg”,”instance_fields”:”override”}]]
JAMIA SHUT DOWN
Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, the head priest of the mosque issued a statement saying the Jamia Masjid has been closed for further prayers as there is blood all over the place which resulted due to firing of pellets on worshippers.
The mosque needs to be cleaned first, it added. The statement strongly condemned the use of brute force and firing of pellets on the people of all ages who had come from far off places to offer Friday prayers and listen to the Friday sermon and to seek the blessings of Almighty in the sacred month of Ramazan, he said.
An APHC spokesman said ahead of the Friday prayers, entire Nowhatta and Jamia Masjid was turned into a military fortress with huge deployment of police and paramilitary forces with the sole aim of disrupting peace and to damage the sanctity of central mosque, which is a spiritual centre of Lakhs of Kashmiris.
The Hurriyat spokesman denounced firing of hundreds of lethal pellets, tear gas and pava shells on peaceful worshipers injuring dozens, including shopkeepers of Nowhatta area.
BLAMES POLICE
A Hurriyat (M) spokesperson in a statement said ahead of the Friday prayers, entire Nowhatta and Jamia Masjid was turned into a military fortress with the huge deployment of armed police and paramilitary forces with a sole aim of disrupting peace and to damage the sanctity of Kashmir’s central mosque.
Javaid Ahmed, President Jamia Market Traders Federation told news agency CNS that over 40 thousand devotees, including women and children had assembled at Jamia Masjid to offer Friday prayers. As usual groups of youth emerged from mosque and protested and pelted stones on forces personnel at nearby Nowhatta Chowk but this time, CRPF and
Police jointly chased people back into mosque and targeted worshippers inside it. They fired pellets and tear-gas shells that hit even women and children. More than 100 persons suffered injuries. Blood was spilled on the floor of the Masjid, he said.
Different traders bodies, including Jamia Market Traders Federation, Central Traders and Manufacturing Association, Beopar Mandal MR Ganj and other Bazar Committees have decided to observe a complete shutdown on Saturday. Traders and locals will assemble at Jamia Masjid and a peaceful protest will be held at 11 AM at Nowhatta Chowk, he said.
[[{“type”:”media”,”fid”:”33628″,”view_mode”:”wysiwyg”,”instance_fields”:”override”}]]
Justifying the presence of armed police around the mosque, a police spokesperson said that as it was the second Friday of Ramzan and police personnel were deployed in the area to facilitate the worshippers and prevent any untoward incident.
As soon as the Friday prayers concluded a huge gathering of youth started brandishing antinational flags /banners and started heavy stone pelting on SFs who were deployed away from the Jamia Masjid near Nowhatta Chowk.
“During stone pelting dozens of CRPF/police personnel including SDPO Khanyar, SHO Nowhatta got injured. One of the CRPF personnel namely HC JD Gurcharan Singh F/28 suffered grievous head injury.Then miscreants about 700 to 800 in number assembled near the main gate of Jamia masjid & again started heavy stone pelting on the SFs.
The police spokesperson said that security forces showed utmost restraint and some munitions were used to disperse the miscreants & hence minimal force was used to control the situation.
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now
Be Part of Quality Journalism |
Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast. |
| ACT NOW |
| MONTHLY | Rs 100 |  |
| YEARLY | Rs 1000 | |
| LIFETIME | Rs 10000 | |
