Indian police break up Muharram processions in Srinagar

The Indian police foiled processions by members of the Shia community in Occupied Kashmir to mark the eighth day of the Muharram mourning. Several members of the community were detained at various places in the city.

The Indian authorities said a huge number of Shia mourners tried to take out a procession in Dalgate area of Srinagar. They were asked by the police to disperse, but they refused and tried to march on.

The Indian police then resorted to baton charging and firing of teargas shells to disperse them, the officials said, adding, however, there were no reports of any injuries.

The Indian police also fired some teargas shells in Jehangir Chowk area of the city to disperse the Shia mourners.

Clad in black dresses, few members of the community tried to take out processions at a few other places, but were barred by the Indian police and some of them were later detained.

Heavy deployment of Indian police and security forces was made in areas where there were apprehensions about the processions taking place, they said.

While the Indian police said there were no restrictions anywhere in the city, barricades were put up at many places to stop the mourners from taking out processions.

The traditional Muharram procession, to mark the eighth day of the 10-day Muharram mourning period, used to pass through the areas of Abi Guzar, Lal Chowk and Dalgate, but has been banned since the eruption of freedom struggle in 1990 as authorities maintain that the religious gathering has been used for propagating freedom politics.