Police Seek To Foil Shi’ite Gatherings In Kashmir

Kashmiri Shi'ite Muslims are detained by police while trying to participate in a Muharram procession, in Srinagar on August 28, 2020

Police sealed off parts of Kashmir’s main city Srinagar on Friday to stop Shi’ite Muslims from staging processions during their mourning month of Muharram and detained at least 50 attendees, police said.

Citing coronavirus fears, authorities have banned Muharram gatherings where worshippers flog themselves with steel-tipped flails or slash their bodies with knives to mourn the death of Imam Hussein, a grandson of the Prophet Mohammad.

Shi’ite crowds tried to gather in parts of Srinagar, but some were thwarted by police roadblocks and by officers searching vehicles and others chanting slogans were chased down by police.

“At least 50 mourners were detained in Srinagar who defied the restrictions,” a police officer said. Some scuffled with police before they were taken away.

Kashmir is already under heavy security since last year when the federal government revoked its special status and statehood, causing anger in the revolt-torn Muslim majority region.

“There is usually a procession on Muharram but they have put a lot of restrictions this year. All the roads are shut near Lal Chowk (Red Square) … There are no public transports and shops are also shut. It feels like a curfew,” a resident who gave his name as Mohammad said.

Police and witnesses said some people taking part in the Muharram processions on the outskirts of Srinagar shouted anti-India slogans earlier in the week.

Protests by Kashmir’s 1.4 million Shi’ite Muslims are rare. The 31-year revolt against Indian rule in the territory has been led by Sunni Muslim militants.

But this year, Shi’ite youths have been vocal about alleged human rights violations by Indian security forces, said senior Shi’ite leader Maulana Masroor Abbas Ansari.

Kashmir valley’s police chief Vijay Kumar said two people had been detained for anti-India slogans during the Muharram processions earlier in the week.

“We will book and act against all those people who have taken part in such processions at other places,” Kumar said.