A complete shutdown was observed in adjoining areas Jamia Masjid Srinagar on Saturday the against the use of force on devotees who had come to Jamia Masjid Srinagar to offer Friday prayers. Pertinently, on Friday soon after the Mirwaiz Umar Farooq addressed the congregation inside the Jamia Masjid youth tried to protest to which government forces had to use force to disperse them in which about 100 youth sustained injuries.
All the shops, business establishments and other offices were closed in Nowhatta, Gojwara, Bohrikadal, Rajourikadal and Khwaja Bazar areas of Srinagar. “Heavy deployment of Govt forces around Jama Masjid even in this holy month leading to tension & agitation. Dozens of civilians injured after forces resorted to pellet &teargas shelling! Large numbers of people unable to come out of the mosque. Condemn the deployment and forces action,” Mirwaiz wrote in a tweet.
Meanwhile Joint Resistance Leadership comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik while strongly condemning the use of brute force including lethal pellets on the devotees who had come to offer Friday prayers at historic Jamia Masjid which left dozens of faithful grievously injured many of them hit by pellets in eyes said that police and other forces resorted to disproportionate use of force against youth, namazis, pedestrians and even shopkeepers of Jamia Market. JRL leaders Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik participated in the silent sit in staged by the Shahre Khaas traders against forces atrocities including firing of pellets and teargas shells and condemned the forces action in strongest words.
Speaking on the occasion, the two leaders said the Jamia Masjid is the religious and spiritual centre of Kashmir and no move by the government to weaken its sanctity would be tolerated. Earlier, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq visited the SMHS hospital to inquire about the health of dozens of youth who were injured in the forces action comprising pellets and teargas shelling at Jamia Masjid on Friday.