SRINAGAR – Friday prayers passed off peacefully in the Kashmir valley, including Srinagar, where adequate security force personnel were deployed since morning to prevent any demonstration.
Official sources said Friday prayers were held in all mosques, shrine and other religious places across the Kashmir valley. Prayers passed off peacefully, they said adding security forces and local police were deployed to maintain law and order.
Meanwhile, authorities pressed into service drones to keep a close vigil during Friday prayers in the historic Jamia Masjid, stronghold of chairman of Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq who remained under house arrest since August 5.
Central Paramilitary Forces (CPMF) and local police personnel were deployed in the entire areas and outside the Masjid to prevent any law and order after Friday prayers.
Today the number of devotees was several times high than last week, when Friday prayers were offered for the first time since August 5.All gates of the worship place were closed and curfew was imposed as a precautionary measure following scrapping of Article 370 and 35 A, besides dividing the state into two Union Territories (UTs).
Police after about three months announced that there are no restrictions in the Jamia Masjid and people can offer prayers. However, the management of the Masjid demanded withdrawal of all government forces in the area before starting prayers again there. It was only on December 18 Mid-Day prayers were offered for the first time. However, since then people are offering prayers regularly.
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