Protests, Restrictions disrupt life across Valley on 140th Day, Jamia Masjid holds Friday prayers after 20 weeks

protests-restrictions-disrupt-life-across-valley-on-140th-day-jamia-masjid-holds-friday-prayers-after-20-weeksRestrictions were enforced in downtown and other sensitive areas in major towns of the Kashmir valley to prevent protests after Friday prayers amid shutdown, while a relatively thin movement of traffic was observed on 140th day of unrest today.
Protest demonstrations were held in downtown Srinagar and some other places after the Friday prayers today. The protesters raising slogans threw stones on the police and CRPF personnel deployed in large numbers in the downtown localities.
The police lobbed teargas shells to quell the demonstrators and maintain law and order in the area after the Friday prayers. It was for the first time since the current unrest began that the Friday congregational prayers were offered at the Jamia Masjid today.
All shops and business establishments were closed and there was thin attendance in government offices, as restrictions remained in force in several areas to prevent any untoward incidents after the prayers.
There was lesser movement of pedestrians and traffic on the roads apprehending trouble in view of the restrictions to avoid any law and order situation.
In view of the protest calendar issued jointly by the separatists, there would be two days of full relaxation in the Valley from tomorrow, a changed schedule in the calendar since last weekend.
The Valley had only two days of full-day relaxation since the trouble started in early July and two days of full-day relaxation on the pattern of last week would be for the second time during the current unrest from tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Friday congregational prayers were today allowed at the Jamia Masjid for the first time since unrest began in Kashmir in the aftermath of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani’s killing in an encounter with security forces in July. The Friday prayers were allowed at Jamia Masjid after 20 weeks.
However, the attendance of devotees was thin as the people from adjoining localities only were not able to reach the grand mosque due to non-availability of public transport in view of the strike.
The prayers were last offered at the mosque on July 8, the day Wani was killed, as the authorities apprehended law and order problems after the weekly prayers.
No Eid prayers were offered at the grand mosque for the first time in nearly two centuries, as the last time it was closed was in 1821.
However, with the improvement in the situation, the prayers were allowed today.
Moderate Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who usually delivers sermon before the Friday prayers, was under house arrest and not allowed to visit the mosque.
In the absence of Mirwaiz, Imam Moulana Ahmad Syed Naqshbandi delivered the Friday sermon and strongly condemned the dictatorial authorities for banning people from offering Friday prayers at the mosque.
Immediately after the culmination of the prayers, a group of youth assembled outside and took out a march towards Rajouri Kadal but were intercepted by the security forces, leading to clashes, a police official said.

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