Was in house arrest on 3rd successive Ramadan Friday: Kashmir cleric
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Srinagar: Kashmir's chief priest Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday said that he was put under house arrest and not allowed to offer the congregational prayers at the Jamia Masjid here, PTI reported.
"For the third consecutive Friday in Ramzan I have been put under arbitrary house arrest-never conveyed in writing, but enforced by placing police vehicles and large contingents in front of my gate and the entire area, chocking gully points and lanes with concertina wires, disallowing traffic movement, all to prevent me from delivering the Friday sermon at Jama Masjid!" Mirwaiz said in a post on X.
He also posted pictures purportedly showing a large contingent of security forces and police vehicles outside the gate of his residence in Nigeen locality of the city here.
Mirwaiz, who delivers the Friday sermon at the grand mosque in Nowhatta area of the city, said his house detention "conveys panic of the rulers".
"While it conveys panic of the rulers, the centrality of Jama Masjid for the Muslims of the region has unfortunately always been a thorn in their side, as are Muslim institutions and identity, which they want to undermine. But such measures cannot erase identity nor weaken faith. These attempts will fail," he added.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has repeatedly alleged restrictions on his movement and religious activities in Srinagar, including claims of house arrest on multiple occasions, Scroll reports. On September 12, he said authorities prevented him from leading congregational prayers at the Jamia mosque, a week after an inauguration plaque bearing the Ashoka Emblem at the Hazratbal Shrine was damaged by protesters who argued it conflicted with Islamic principles. Earlier, in July, Farooq stated he was confined to stop him from referencing Kashmir Martyrs’ Day, which honours 22 people killed by Dogra forces in 1931. The observance lost its public holiday status after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. In March 2025, he also said he was detained ahead of Eid prayers, highlighting a pattern of alleged curbs on religious expression and movement.