Sambhal: Members of the Shia community in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal district offered Eid prayers wearing black armbands to mourn Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with a brief altercation reported during sloganeering in Sirsi.
The community members wore black armbands to symbolise grief and solidarity during what they described as a period of emotional loss. They stated that they intended the gesture to express collective mourning while still observing religious traditions.
Some individuals raised slogans during and after the prayers, and later organised a procession where they heard chants such as “America Murdabad”. Police personnel arrived at the scene to monitor the situation and maintain law and order. Some members of the crowd and the police reportedly engaged in a brief verbal altercation, but the police quickly brought the situation under control.
Officials said that Eid prayers are otherwise being conducted peacefully across the region, with the administration maintaining strict vigilance.
The protests come in the backdrop of the reported killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in joint strikes involving the United States and Iran, which triggered widespread reactions among Muslim organisations across India.
In Kashmir, which has a significant Shia population, large-scale protests were reported from areas such as Lal Chowk, Saida Kadal, Budgam, Bandipora, Anantnag, and Pulwama. Witnesses observed protesters pounding their chests and shouting anti-US and anti-Israel slogans.
Groups gathered near mosques in Lucknow, raising slogans, while women mourners held photographs of the Iranian leader and wept.
Similar demonstrations were reported from Ludhiana in Punjab, where effigies were burnt despite the state’s relatively small Muslim population.
Meanwhile, the Shia community in Ajmer had also announced a three-day mourning period.
However, in Karnataka’s Chikkaballapur district, where Khamenei once visited, observed silence, and shops and commercial establishments voluntarily closed. Villagers had announced a three-day mourning period as a mark of tribute to the Shia supreme leader. All celebrations and public events had been suspended to maintain a peaceful environment in this village.
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Photo: IANS
–IANS
