Authorities once again disallowed Friday prayers at historic Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta here and clamped strict restrictions in various parts of downtown to prevent post Friday protests in view of the call given by the join resistance leadership (JRL) on Tuesday against civilian killings in recent gunfights.Reports reaching GNS said that contingents of police and CRPF arrived in Nowhatta and adjoining areas in the morning and imposed restrictions. They said forces laid barbed wires on main roads and sealed the Jamia Masjid. Restrictions were also imposed in adjoining Rajouri Kadal, Bhori Kadal, Malarrata, Saraf Kadal areas.cals said forces did not allow civilian movement in these areas and enforced curbs strictly. They said Jamia Masjid was sealed from all sides and no one was allowed towards it.An official of the district administration said restrictions under section 144 of the CrPC were imposed in Rainawari, Khanyar, Nowhatta, M.R.Gunj and Safa Kadal in the Old City areas."Partial restrictions also remained in force in Maisuma and Kralkhud," he added.
To prevent the chief of his faction of Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Umar Farooq from delivering weekly sermon at Jamia Masjid, authorities placed him under house arrest on Thursday evening. The Hurriyat Conference has condemned the continued house arrest of Mirwaiz and closure of Jamia Masjid for Friday prayers.Mirwaiz condemned the disallowing of Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid.“18th Friday of this year #JamaMasjid locked down once again by the Anti Muslim ruling regime,” Mirwaiz tweeted.“@MehboobaMufti following the path, rather breaking the record of her predecessors by disallowing Muslims from offering Friday prayers and imposing restrictions in #ShareKhaas!”Meanwhile, situation across parts of other districts of Kashmir remained peaceful barring some incidents of stone pelting at Braripora area of Safakadal, footbridge in Parimpora and Janglat Mandi in Anantnag.
At Braripora area of Safakadal, some youth pelted stones on CRPF 161 battalion who chased them by using few tear smoke shells. In the meantime, some youth hurled three petrol bombs on CRPF and Safakadal."Two petrol bombs were hurled at Braripora area and another at a police post at Bagiyas, Safakadal", PRO CRPF Rajesh Yadav told GNS. However, no one was reported injured in the incidents, PRO said.The officer said that similar clashes were reported at footbridge Parimpora at a time when the deployment was passing through the area.At Hyderpora, a group of people post Friday prayers took to streets and staged a protest demonstration against the civilian killings.At Janglat Mandi area of Anantnag, a CRPF personnel identified as Subash Chander of 164 battalion was injured after hit by a stone in his head during clashes. The injured paramilitary trooper was immediately hospitalised, the officer said. (GNS)