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50 held for bid to take out
Muharram processions in J&K

Among those detained were four senior Hurriyat leaders.

Muharram was observed peacefully in other parts of the valley.

Despite imposition of restrictions by the government on the main Muharram procession, traditionally taken out from Abiguzar to Zadibal Imambara to pay homage to martyr Hazrat Imam Hussain, grandson of Prophet Muhammad, three groups led by senior Hurriyat and Shia leaders made separate bids to take out processions from Lal Chowk and Badshah Chowk, official sources said.

They said the police and paramilitary forces, deployed in Shia-dominated areas and Lal Chowk following an announcement by vice-president of the Anjuman-e-Sharai'e Shia, Aga Syed Hassan Alsafvi Almoosvi, that they will take out a procession from Abiguzar in defiance of the restrictions, swung into action and took into preventive custody 50 mourners.

Prominent among those detained were Javid Ahmad Mir, Bashir Ahmad Tota, Mukhtar Ahmad Sofi, Nissar Ahmad (all Hurriyat leaders), Aga Syed Mohsin, younger brother of Aga Syed Hassan, Ghulam Ahmad Nath and Mohammad Maqbool Hussain, the sources said.

Aga Syed Mohsin, before being detained, told reporters that his brother Aga Syed Hassan had been placed under house arrest on Thursday morning. He had returned to his Badgam residence from Mirgund from a religious function when police cordoned off his house and asked him to stay indoor, Aga said.

Police confirmed having placed Aga Hassan under house arrest.

Even as the police were busy maintaining law and order in Lal chowk and Badshah chowk, another group of Shia mourners took out a procession from Habbakadal area and began marching towards Zadibal in downtown Srinagar. However, the police again used lathis and lobbed teargas shells to stall their attempts at Khankhai Moulla, the sources said, adding that several processionists were detained.

The Jammu and Kashmir Government had clarified on Wednesday that though there was no blanket ban on Muharram processions throughout the valley, two processions in Srinagar had been disallowed considering the law and order situation.

PTI

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