13 Booked for Sloganeering During Friday Prayers in Kashmir, PSA Charges Likely

The historic Jamia Masjid was reopened for Friday prayers following a period of prolonged shutdowns.

Thirteen youths were arrested on charges of sedition, by the Jammu and Kashmir police, on 9 April, for sloganeering inside the Jamia Masjid during the Friday congregational prayers.

(Photo: Twitter)

Thirteen youths were arrested on charges of sedition, by the Jammu and Kashmir police, on 9 April, for sloganeering inside the Jamia Masjid during the Friday congregational prayers.

The police is also preparing a Public Safety Act (PSA) dossier against them.

Following a prolonged period of shutdowns since the abrogation of Article 370 and the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the mosque was re-opened on Friday after many months.

Upon its reopening, police said that almost 24,000 people had gathered to offer Friday prayers in the grand mosque but a handful of people raised “anti-national” slogans and hooliganism.

The video of the incident went viral on social media on Friday.

“After culmination of the prayers about a dozen persons started anti-national and provocative sloganeering, for a while this was joined by a couple of others as well, while most of the gathering remained aloof,"

Rakesh Balwal, SSP Srinagar

Balwal said that the mosque management committee tried to stop the sloganeering which led to an altercation between those who raised the slogans and mosque volunteers.

"This created a situation of ruckus inside the mosque leading to clashes between them. Later the hooligans were dispersed outside the mosque by volunteers (of Mosque committee)," Balwal added.

According to the police spokesperson, the two main instigators of the sloganeering — Basharat Nabi Bhat from Hawal and Umar Manzoor Sheikh, were formally arrested in the case.

Eleven more were arrested subsequently for their involvement.

The police said they will prepare dossiers for the Public Safety Act (PSA) against the accused which allows for detention of an individual for two years without trial.

They also claimed the accused had received instructions from Pakistani handlers terror outfits to provoke and create a law and order situation, as a part planned conspiracy to disrupt the Friday prayers.

The Jamia mosque has remained shut on government orders since 2019. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, its chief priest and also the Hurriyat chairman, is currently under house arrest.