Thousands take part in Muharram procession in Srinagar

Srinagar, Jul 15 (PTI) Amid tight security, the Shia community in Kashmir on Monday took out a Muharram procession on the traditional Guru Bazar-Dalgate route here to mark the eighth day of mourning of the death of Prophet Muhammad’s grandson.

Some mourners carried Palestinian flags and called for an end to violence against people in Palestine, officials said.

The procession began at Guru Bazar locality in the city and passed through Jehangir Chowk and Maulana Azad Road before culminating at Dalgate.

Thousands of mourners assembled at Guru Bazar at 5.30 am as the authorities had granted a limited time window for the procession so that normal life would not be affected.

The traffic department issued an advisory for people residing on the route of the Muharram procession, the officials said.

The Srinagar Municipal Corporation made arrangements for cleaning the roads and volunteers were seen offering water to the people taking part in the procession.

This is the second consecutive year that the authorities here have allowed the Muharram procession to be taken out on the traditional route.

The procession was banned after militancy erupted in Kashmir as authorities were apprehensive that separatists might misuse the large gathering for ulterior motives.