• Clashes reported in Zadibal areas, Police officer among several injured
• Rich tributes paid to Hazrat Hussain (RA) and other Karbala martyrs
Amid curbs and restrictions, Ashura was observed in Kashmir while people paid rich tributes to martyrs of Karbala and took out mourning processions in various parts of Kashmir.
In Srinagar, the administration has imposed restrictions in some places to prevent people from taking out Muharram processions while the largest gathering was held at Zadibal area in which thousands of mourners participated.
Following the SOPs, a large number of mourners managed to reach in small groups and later took out a procession to pay tribute to martyrs of Karbala.
In many areas adjacent to Zadibal, there was heavy deployment of the government forces.
The concertina wires and Police vehicles were placed at several vital roads in the area to maintain law and order situation.
An eyewitness told Rising Kashmir that there was heavy deployment of Police and paramilitary forces in several parts of Srinagar downtown and they asked people not to come out on the roads.
In Zadibal, mourners were seen carrying black banners and shouting pro-Islamic slogans to pay tribute to Hazrat Hussain (RA) and his companions who were martyred in Karbala 1400 years ago.
Volunteer groups and the local committees had pitched their tents to feed the mourners and were seen distributing masks and first aid among the people.
The district administration and NGOs had availed the facility of ambulances and medical checkup camps for the mourners.
Later in the day, mourners gathered at Kathimaidan and tried to come on the main road in shape of the procession. Police used tear smoke shells and disperse them.
A Police official said that the mourners resorted to stone pelting at Kathimaidan.
A Selection Grade Constable Showkat Ahmed (1007/s) from Police Station Soura sustained head injuries.
However, his condition is stated to be stable.
After tear smoke shelling and pellet firing incident in Zadibal, IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar, SSP Srinagar and SP Hazratbal visited Alamgari Bazaar and Zadibal to take stock of the situation.
As per the eyewitnesses, around 2 dozen youth were injured in the police action and were taken to the hospital for specialized treatment.
At Pandrathan area in Srinagar outskirts, a Muharram procession was taken from petrol pump Pandrathan that culminated peacefully at Imambara.
The mourners followed the proper SOPs.
Similarly, small processions were held at Budgam and no Alam processions were taken out following the COVID-19 restrictions.
Small processions were allowed that were taken out in different parts of Budgam including Wanihama, Hayatpora, Khanpora and Ichgam villages.
Another procession was taken out at Gulshanpora and culminated at Imambara Khanqah Mir Shamasuddin Iraqi.
On the occasion of Ashura-I-Hussaini, mourning ceremonies were organised by Jammu and Kashmir Anjuman-e-Sharie-Shian across Kashmir, where scholars explained the philosophy of martyrdom of Hazrat Hussain (RA) and the different aspects of the battle of Karbala.
The President of Anjuman-e-Sharie-Shian Agha Syed Hassan Al-Musawi Al-Safwi was barred from attending the mourning assemblies.