Srinagar: No Eid prayers at historic Jamia mosque for 5th year after Article 370 abrogation

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir administration did not allow the congregational Eid prayers here at the historic Jamia Masjid, the management committee of the Jamia Masjid said on Wednesday.

This is for the fifth straight year since the abrogation of J&K’s special status that Eid prayers were not allowed at Jamia.

On Tuesday, the Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid Auqaf announced that the Eid prayers would be held at Srinagar’s historic mosque on Wednesday morning.

“After Fajar (morning) prayers today police personnel closed the gates of Jama Masjid Srinagar and informed the Auqaf that Eid Ul Fitr prayers scheduled for 9.30 am were not being permitted at Jama Masjid today,” a statement issued by the Auqaf said.

It added that the chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was also placed under house arrest early Wednesday morning.

Meanwhile, Eid-ul-Fitr, which marks the culmination of the fasting month of Ramzan, was being celebrated across Kashmir with fervour.

The biggest gathering of Eid prayers was witnessed at Hazratbal shrine on the banks of Dal lake.

The prayers passed off peacefully across the valley, officials said.