No Permission For Friday Prayers At Srinagar's Jamia Masjid As Unrest Fear Over Israel-Hamas War Looms Large

Congregational prayers were not allowed at the historic Jamia Masjid in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar on Friday amid the fear of unrest in the region over the Israel-Hamas war.

File photo of people from Muslim community offering prayers at Srinagar's Jamia Masjid.

Source : Getty

In view of apprehensions of protests against Israel's attack in Gaza, congregational prayers were not allowed at the historic Jamia Masjid in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar on Friday, news agency PTI reported, citing sources. According to the officials, the grand mosque located in Srinagar's Nowhatta area of the city was locked, and no Friday prayers were allowed. Security forces personnel were deployed in strength around the mosque to maintain law and order, they said.

While there was no official word on the reason for the closure of the mosque for prayers, there were apprehensions of protests against the Israeli action in the Gaza Strip, PTI reported, citing sources. The Anjuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid, the managing body of the mosque, said in a statement that the police officials have closed the gates of the mosque in Srinagar and informed it that Friday prayers will not be allowed.

The Auqaf also claimed that Mirwaiz Umar Farooq “has yet again been put under house arrest early morning today”. The Mirwaiz was recently released after four years of house detention in the wake of the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019. The Israeli action follows a series of brazen attacks on its towns by Hamas militants over the weekend, which triggered fresh tensions in the region.

Meanwhile, anti America-Israel slogans were raised in J&K Budgam after Friday prayers amid the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict.

#WATCH | J&K: Anti America-Israel slogans raised in Budgam after Friday prayers amid the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. pic.twitter.com/JcoITpu2DA

— ANI (@ANI) October 13, 2023

Meanwhile, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's Prime Minister, has vowed to "crush" Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2007. His government is under intense public pressure to depose the group rather than containing it in Gaza, as it has done for years.

A visit by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday, along with shipments of US weapons, provided Israel with a powerful green light to proceed with its retaliation. Lloyd Austin, the United States' Defence Secretary, arrived in Israel on Friday.