Authorities imposed strict restrictions across Kashmir on Sunday to prevent any gatherings on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr that was celebrated here after sighting of new moon on Saturday evening. And despite lockdown small Eid prayers gathering took place across Kashmir.
All the main roads were closed with concertina wires and iron barricades to prevent movement of the people but by the time strict restrictions were in place people had already offered prayers but the gatherings were very small and localised.
There were small gatherings held across Kashmir at various local Masjids and lawns of houses.The Eid prayers were normally held around 9 am. but today they were held as early as 6 am to 7 am when administration was yet to deploy security forces for enforcing the lockdown.
People mostly stayed indoors as Government forces were deployed in strength across Kashmir, they were patrolling streets to prevent any movement of people.
No movement of the people was allowed since morning in Srinagar and other major towns of Kashmir by authorities and security forces were patrolling the streets to enforce the lockdown.
There were no major gatherings in any part of Kashmir today as Jamia Masjid Srinagar, Hazratbal shrine, Chrar-e-Sharief and other grand masjids and shrines across Kashmir were shut by the authorities, The major Masjids and shrines including Hazratbal shrine and historic Jamia Masjid in old City area of Srinagar remained locked for the devotees as precautionary measure in wake of the Coronavirus since last week of March to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Both the government and Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema Jammu and Kashmir, the amalgam of various religious organizationS in Kashmir, headed by Mirwaiz Omar Farooq had asked people to stay away from religious gatherings on the auspicious occasions of Eid-ul-Fitr, due to COVID-19.
In a statement issued here earlier this week, they said that all religious gatherings on the auspicious occasions of Shab-e-Qadr, Jummat-ul-Vida and Eid-ul-Fitr, will remain suspended.
The MMU appealed people to continue to carry on with prayers and other faith related activities in their homes in view of the rising graph of COVID-19 cases in Kashmir and asked people to take precautionary measures.
