Moharram processions continue in Valley despite tension in Srinagar
TV camera crews injured in clash after Kangri attack on procession at Maisuma

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Dec 27: Nearly two dozen persons, including six photojournalists and head of a Police Station, today sustained injuries in ding dong clashes between stone pelting groups and Police when an unidentified person lobbed a fire container (Kangri) on a Moharram procession at Maisuma in the capital city. Scores of Tazia and Alam processions were taken out today on occasion of 9th of Moharram in Shia-dominated localities all over Kashmir valley where the month’s largest event, Ashoora, is being celebrated with solemnity on Monday to remember Prophet Mohammad’s grandson, Hazrat Imam Hussain, and 71 of his companions martyred at Karbala in Iraq over 1400 years ago.

Even as scores of Moharram processions were taken out peacefully on occasion of Tasooua (9th of Moharram) all over Kashmir valley and thousands of mourners participated in these solemn congregations while braving the chill of Chilla-e-kalan (core of the winter), one-odd incident of violence occurred in the midtown locality of Maisuma. Eyewitnesses told Early Times that minutes after the procession was carried out, an unidentified person lobbed a Kangri on a circle of the mourners at Madina Chowk, Gawkadal. Residents of Khushal Sar, Zadibal, were reciting Nowha in praise of the martyrs of Karbala in that particular circle. Four to five of the mourners sustained minor injuries.

Lobbing of the fire-container by an unidentified person caused temporary disruption as the men in the procession responded with varied panic reactions. Soon a number of people engaged themselves in stone pelting on Police and CRPF bunkers who retaliated with batons and tearsmoke. Official sources said that 20 to 25 persons, including 8 Police personnel and SHO, sustained injuries in the resultant clashes which subsided in 20 minutes. Those injured in the melee included half-a-dozen camerapersons and videographers of different cable TV channels.

Order was restored by volunteers of the procession shortly as the groups of mourners shouted Shia-Sunni Bhai Bhai slogans. Aga Syed Taqqi, a Budgam-based cleric from Anjuman-e-Sharayi Shi’aan and JKLF Chairman, Yasin Malik, led the procession and addressed the gathering with stress on sectarian unity before it culminated at Mandir Bagh, Gawkadal, in the evening.

Reports said that thin groups of non-mourners pelted stones on Police and paramilitary personnel at five other places, mostly on Nallah Maar Road. Police, as usual, retaliated with baton charge and tearsmoke to disperse these groups.

Reports said that all other processions of the day passed off smoothly. Thousands of mourners participated in a major Tazia and Alam procession which came out from Shamswari in the middle of downtown Srinagar. It culminated at Al-Zahra Islamic Trust, Habbakadal in the evening. Shia cleric-politician Maulvi Abbas Ansari delivered a sermon on the philosophy pf the martyrdom of Karbala late tonight at Habbakadal.

Reports of similar processions poured in from Shalimar, Baba Mazar Zadibal, Mandibal and Bemina within Srinagar municipal limits.

According to these reports, major processions of the day were also taken out at Budgam town and over a dozen towns and villages in Budgam, Baramulla, Bandipore and Pulwama districts. Reports from Uri said that hundreds of Karbala mourners participated in these processions in Kamalkote, Dhani Sayyidan and several others villages on the LoC in north Kashmir.

Notwithstanding a level of tension in Srinagar, where authorities have, as usual, disallowed the major Ashoora procession on security grounds, 10th of Moharram in remembrance of the martyrs of Karabla is being celebrated with traditional solemnity across Kashmir valley on Monday. Thousands of devotees are expected to participate in Zujanah and Tazia processions on this occasion.

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