Authorities today barred congregational Friday prayers at the Jamia Masjid in downtown Srinagar, in wake of protest call by the Joint Resistance Leadership. According to reports, all the gates of Jamia Masjid were locked by government forces while all roads leading to the historic mosque were blocked with concertina wires. Restrictions were imposed in three police station areas of Srinagar including Nowhatta, Safa Kadal and MR Gunj in Downtown area to prevent people from assembling at the mosque. Hurriyat (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq who addresses the faithful every Friday was placed under house detention yesterday. In a tweet, Mirwaiz slammed the authorities for what he said 'shameful operating procedure' to impose restrictions and disallowing Muslims from offering Friday prayers. "Once again the authoritarian regime has resorted to its SOP #ShamefulOperatingProcedure of imposing restrictions and disallowing Muslims by force from offerings Friday prayers at #JamaMasjd and peacefully expressing their resentment against the US decision on #AQudsAlSharief," Mirwaiz tweeted.