SRINAGAR: Police on Friday prevented people from offering traditional Khojee Diger prayers at the shrine of Hazrat Naqashband Sahib (RA) in Srinagar.
Every year, on 3rd Rabbi-ul-Awal, thousands of people assemble to offer Asr prayers at the shrine in Khawaja Bazar. The congregational prayers were introduced by Hazrat Kawaja Mohiuddin (RA) 400 years ago.
All roads leading towards the shrine were sealed on Friday to prevent devotees from gathering at the shrine. Razor wires were laid across the roads at Khanyar and Nowhatta with government forces stopping people from moving ahead. Armoured vehicles were placed on roads and at entrance of the shrine.
Men and women who had come to offer the special prayers were not allowed.
Scores of women who gathered around the shrine shouted slogans against the ban.
Later, government forces fired teargas shells to disperse the protestors.
A woman while weeping after being denied permission to offer the prayer shouted that devotees were empty-handed and “not carrying guns or stones”.
“But they locked our place of worship,” she cried.

ARIF RASHID