Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir police on Thursday allegedly resorted to tear gas shelling on mourners in Hassanabad locality of Srinagar on the occasion of seventh Muharram.
Eyewitnesses told The Kashmir Walla that police fired tear smoke shells on the mourners who were trying to carry out a peaceful procession in remembrance of Imam Hussain, “We wanted to carry out a religious procession but police not only disallowed it but used force against the mourners,” said a local of Hassanabad locality.
A mourner said that it was a direct interference into the religious obligations of people under the garb of COVID, “The government facilitated the Ganagabal yatra, but does not allow Muslims to carry out our religious rituals. They shut down the Jamia Mosque for months citing absurd reasons. It is clear that the ruling government does not want Muslims to practice their religion,” said Irfan Hussain a mourner.
Meanwhile, police denied that mourners were tear-gassed in the day, “There was no such incident, everything was peaceful,” a police official told The Kashmir Walla.
However, social media users posted pictures and videos of the tear gas shelling on mourners.
Kashmiri mourners trying to take out 7th Muharram procession teargassed in Hassanabad rainawari area of old city by police and paramilitary on Thursday 27 August 2020. #Kashmir #Muharram2020 . pic.twitter.com/pWAnfa1f2b
— Syed Shahriyar (@shahriyarsyed1) August 27, 2020
Earlier on Wednesday, police fired tear smoke shells on mourners during a Muharram procession in Budgam area resulting in minor injuries to over a dozen persons.
The police on Wednesday booked Shia Muslim mourners for raising pro-freedom slogans during a Muharram procession on Srinagar outskirts.
In a statement, a police spokesperson said, “On surfacing of a video in social media in which mourners were found chanting pro Azadi slogans in a Jaloos-e-Aza (Mauharram Procession). Police station Parimpora has taken cognizance,
It has been revealed that some boys from adjoining area of Budgam led by following persons..
(1) Sajad Hussain Parray S/O Mohd Yousuf parray R/O Nawpora Gund Hassi Bhat (2) Arif Ahmad Dar S/O Mohd Akbar Dar Gund Hassi Bhat near J-K Bank 3) Raja Mehboob s/o Mehboob Hussain R/O Gund Hassi Bhat took advantage of the area and assembled here and raised pro Azadi slogans.
“In this regard, a formal case has been regd under FIR No 177/2020 U/S 13 ULA(P) Act ,143,188,269 IPC against the above accused. Midnight raids were conducted in which two persons have been arrested and further arrests are expected in the said case and the investigation is going on,” the statement added.