Authorities bar Friday prayers at Jamia, put Mirwaiz under house detention

Restrictions imposed in old city, internet suspended in Srinagar

5 Dariya News

Srinagar 05-Apr-2019

Kashmir’s grand mosque in Nowhatta Srinagar remained closed for Friday prayers while authorities imposed restrictions in old city areas of Srinagar. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, chief  cleric, was put under house detention by the government.Locals told KNO that a large force deployment was witnessed on the old city roads and concertina wires were erected to  block roads. The restrictions imposed hampered peoples movement in the area. Authorities sealed historic Jamia Masjid and congregation prayers were not held. Mirwaiz, who  delivers the sermon in the grand mosque, was put under house detention at his residence in Nigeen area of Hazratbal. Mobile internet was suspended by authorities in summer  capital of the state, Srinagar since Friday morning. Officials said that the move to impose restrictions in old city was done as a preventive measure to thwart any pro freedom  protests and to control law and order situation. Old City, usually referred as Downtown is a volatile area and a bastion of Mirwaiz supporters who leads a faction of Hurriyat  Conference and is part of Joint Resistance Leadership.(KNO)