Mirwaiz barred from offering prayers at Srinagar Jamia Masjid, still not free: Mosque body

Srinagar, Aug 25 (PTI) The management committee of Jamia Masjid in Srinagar on Friday claimed that Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was again barred from offering prayers at the mosque despite the Jammu and Kashmir administration’s claim that he was “free”.

The managing body said it has been a week since a legal notice was served by the Mirwaiz on the authorities to clarify their position on his detention and seeking his release.

“Despite the claim made by the state administration that Mirwaiz-Kashmir is ‘free’, today he was again barred from offering prayers at Jamia Masjid Srinagar for the 209th consecutive Friday, proving the claim of authorities a big hoax,” the Anjumam Auqaf Jamia Masjid said.

On August 18, the Mirwaiz sent a legal notice to the Jammu and Kashmir administration over his “house detention”.

The notice stated Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha had denied the Mirwaiz’s detention in categorical terms by claiming that he could move to any place.

“But, on the other hand, the deployment of a large contingent of security forces outside the Nigeen residence of my client nullifies the aforesaid stand of lieutenant governor…,” according to the notice by the Mirwaiz’s lawyer.