High alert has been sounded across Kashmir on the eve of Juma-tul-Vida in response to rising tensions in the Middle East. Security arrangements in Kashmir for Juma-tul-Vida have been intensified as a precautionary measure, considering recent regional tensions and the significance of large religious gatherings at major mosques and shrines.
A top police official said, “We had already consulted religious heads from all communities, including those associated with shrines, mosques, and imambaras. A collective plan to maintain peace has been charted out. We have also deployed additional personnel on the ground, especially at sensitive locations, as anti-national elements may try to take advantage of these gatherings.”
A specific traffic advisory has also been issued for Srinagar and other crowded areas of Kashmir to manage the expected influx of devotees at major shrines and mosques. Juma-tul-Vida is the last Friday of the month of Ramadan and is considered one of the most pious days of the holy month. It is marked by massive congregations in Muslim communities across the globe.
This year, the escalating conflict in the Middle East involving Iran, Israel, and the United States, along with the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has angered Shia communities across the globe. In Kashmir, several large mourning processions were carried out, and violence was reported in some places. Keeping this in view, authorities have maintained strict vigil today at imambaras, shrines, and mosques to ensure peace in the Valley.
