Indian police use brute force on Muharram procession in Srinagar , Aug 28, 2020
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ISLAMABAD- In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian forces used brute force to foil the attempt of people to take out the traditional 7th Muharram procession in Srinagar city.
According to Kashmir Media Service, hundreds of people assembled in Hassanabad Rainawari area of the city and tried to proceed from Botraj Mohalla to Kathi Darwaza, the route of traditional Muharram procession on the seventh day of the Islamic month of Muharram.
In this regard, witnesses told media men that when the mourners reached near Dharamshala Crossing, the Indian police personnel, who were deployed in strength, resorted to tear smoke shelling and baton-charge.
“This led to complete chaos. After lobbing tear smoke shells, the cops chased the mourners and pushed them back to Hassanabad Chowk,” Shabbir Hussain, an eyewitness said.
He said that the police action was unwarranted and uncalled for, as the mourners were moving peacefully towards the Kathi Darwaza. “The mourners were only raising pro-Islam and other religious slogans. They all were wearing masks and keeping social distance as well. There was no provocation by mourners at all,” he added.
On Wednesday also, Muharram processions turned into pro-freedom rallies, after police used tear smoke shells and fired in the air to disperse them in Badgam and Srinagar.
The 7th Muharram is the last major procession in the city as two major processions of 8th and 10th Muharram have not been taken out since a ban was imposed on them by the Indian authorities 31 years back.
The Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir, Pandurang K Pole, talking to media men said that restrictions shall continue on all religious processions and gatherings in all districts.
