Srinagar Jamia Masjid closed after clashes

Blood spilt on the floor, says protesters; police deny allegations of excessive force

No respite: Separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq speaks at a protest in Srinagar on Saturday.

The historic 624-year-old Jamia Masjid here has stopped prayers to clean the blood spilt on its floor during clashes on Friday afternoon, which left over 30 civilians and dozens of security personnel injured.

The Old City here observed a shutdown on Saturday in protest.

“Unnecessary presence of security forces on Friday outside the mosque was the cause of confrontation. Scores of protesters were hit in the eyes with pellets. The police fired pellets through the gaps in the closed doors of the mosque,” said Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the Valley’s head priest who delivers sermons from the grand mosque’s pulpit.

Denying allegations of excessive use of force, the police said the clashes erupted when youth started waving anti-national flags and throwing stones after the prayers.

“Dozens of CRPF and police personnel were injured. Two police officers and one CRPF head constable were among the injured. The security forces showed utmost restraint, and minimal munition was used to disperse the miscreants to control the situation,” a police spokesman said.

Video goes viral

A video of the clash went viral online, showing women worshippers suffocating after security forces fired pepper gas shells, blood on the floor and youth raising slogans inside the mosque. “We have decided to close the mosque for prayers till an ablution is done to clean the mosque,” a caretaker said.

“If the government fails to stop its ploys to damage the sanctity and sacredness of the grand masjid, a sustained campaign will be started and the entire responsibility will then lie on the ruling dispensation,” a joint statement by separatist leaders, including Syed Ali Geelani and Yasin Malik, said.

The video evoked condemnation from civil society too. “It’s condemnable to use force on worshippers. One fails to understand why forces are deployed at a place of worship,” said Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Javid Ahmad Tenga.

Local people alleged that shells landed on the wooden roof of the mosque, endangering the architectural marvel. The mosque, spread over 1.4 lakh square feet, houses 348 wooden columns, each 44 feet in height and 5 feet in girth. The structure can accommodate 33,333 faithful inside.

The mosque is central to Kashmir’s political upheavals and has been frequently witnessing protests in the past three decades. “Keeping in view the past experiences, it’s difficult to act on the suggestions of the Mirwaiz. It’s easy to talk than to act in dealing with violent situations,” Director-General of Police Sheesh Paul Vaid said.