Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 17: Jumat-ul-Vida, the last Friday of Holy month of Ramadhan, marking the culmination of the fasting month was observed with religious fervour and zeal across Kashmir valley amidst large congregations.
The largest gathering was witnessed at Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta area of the downtown Srinagar where thousands of people including men, women and children offered Friday congregational prayers. Prior to Friday prayers, Hurriyat chairman and Valley’s chief priest Mirwaiz Umar Farooq delivered the sermon and highlighted the importance of Jumat-ul-Vida. The second largest congregation was witnessed at Hazratbal shrine.
Reports of large congregations were also received from all the district headquarters of the Valley. The scholars and clerics threw light on the importance of Jumat-ul-Vida and urged people to uphold the spirit of Ramadhan in other months as well.
At Nowhatta masked youth waved flags of Palestine, Islamic State (IS), Pakistan and Lashkar-e-Toiba during the protests outside Jamia Masjid here.
The protesters later clashed with police and CRPF at Khwaja Bazar which is barely half-a-kilometer from the Nowhatta. Police fired dozens of teargas and pepper shells towards them. Reports said four people were injured during clashes.
The pro-Palestine demonstrations were also held at city’s Abi Guzar and Lawaypora neighbourhoods. The protesters, who were mainly from Shia community, expressed solidarity with the Palestinians. The protests, however, concluded peacefully. The Shia community also held demonstrations at Budgam district.
Meanwhile, authorities had placed Hurriyat (G) chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chairman Yasin Malik under house arrest and were not allowed to offer Friday prayers. Malik was scheduled to address a gathering at Chrar-e-Sharief in central Kashmir’s Budgam district.
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