Thousands take part in Muharram procession in Srinagar

Srinagar: The Shia community of Kashmir on Monday took out a Muharram procession to mark the eighth day of mourning on the traditional Guru Bazar-Dalgate route, officials said.

The procession passed off peacefully as authorities had made adequate security arrangements.

The procession began from Guru Bazar locality in the city early Monday and passed through the designated route via Jehangir Chowk and Maulana Azad Road before culminating at Dalgate.

Thousands of mourners assembled at Guru Bazar at 5.30 am as the authorities had granted a limited time window for the procession so that normal life does not get affected.

The traffic department had issued an advisory to residents of the city on the routes to be followed during the Muharram procession, the officials said.

While Srinagar Municipal Corporation had made arrangements for cleaning the roads, volunteers were seen offering water to the processionists.

This is for the second consecutive year that the authorities here have allowed the Muharram procession to be taken out on the traditional route The procession was banned after the eruption of militancy in Kashmir as authorities were apprehensive that separatists might misuse the large gathering for ulterior motives.