Clashes Erupt in India's Kashmir After Authorities Disallow Muharram Procession - Video
11:13 GMT 17.08.2021 (Updated: 20:02 GMT 19.10.2022)
© REUTERS / DANISH ISMAIL
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The Islamic community around the world observes the festival of Muharram as the beginning of the Islamic New Year. Muharram commemorates the sacrifice of the Prophet Muhammad's grandson Imam Hussain Ibn Ali during the Battle of Karbala that happened in 680AD, as per Muslim scriptures.
Clashes erupted in Srinagar city in India's Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) union territory on Tuesday after the local authorities did not allow members of the Muslim community to carry out a Muharram procession. The police have used tear gas to disperse the crowd in the city's Lal Chowk square.
Videos from the site have emerged online, detailing the situation.
#Muharram:Intense tear gas shelling on muharram mourners marking 8th Muharram procession in Dalgate area of Srinagar capital .#kashmir pic.twitter.com/ljBhxKyzKy
— Syed Shahriyar (@shahriyarsyed1) August 17, 2021
In pictures:
— kamran yousuf (@kamranyousuf_) August 17, 2021
Police thrash journalists while covering Muharram procession at Jahangir Chowk, Srinagar. pic.twitter.com/uxINRq8HgQ
Some of the videos suggest that even a journalist was allegedly assaulted by law enforcement during the confrontation between the police and protesters.
Journalists beaten up by police in Srinagar while covering Muharram processions. Video @mehranbhat97 pic.twitter.com/gGH0eRtNTI
— Fahad Shah (@pzfahad) August 17, 2021
Some people involved in the clashes have been detained by the police, the exact numbers, however, remain unclear.
On tuesday, armed forces detained Shia mourners in Srinagar during 8th Muharram procession.
— Free Press Kashmir (@FreePressK) August 17, 2021
Police also physically assaulted journalists who were covering the procession in Srinagar's Jahangir Chowk. pic.twitter.com/112ALZKX7G
In the 1990s, the traditional Muharram procession was banned in Kashmir amid militancy in the region. On 1 August this year, however, the J&K administration decided to lift the ban on the procession after 30 years.
