COVID-19: No congregational prayers in J&K mosques on Jumat Ul-Vida amid lockdown

There was no congregational prayers were offered in Kashmir on Jumat Ul-Vida, which is the last Friday of Ramadan, as Muslim clerics requested people to pray at home due to the rising coronavirus cases.

Srinagar: There was no congregational prayers in Kashmir on Friday, which is the last Friday of Ramadan (Jumat Ul-Vida), as Muslim clerics requested people to pray at home due to the rising coronavirus cases.

In routine times, the historic Jamia Masjid of Kashmir would be flocked by thousands of people on the eve of Jumat Ul-Vida (last Friday of Ramadhan) to offer congregational prayers. 

The mosque is locked and the roads around the mosque are deserted, people attending to essential work only are allowed outside, everyone else is asked to stay home, due to the imposition of the lockdown. 

Similar scenes were seen in every big, small mosque and shrines including Dargah Hazratbal.

Muslim cleric with state administration have appealed to the people of Kashmir to follow the COVID-19 guidelines and avoid congregational prayers especially on those places where huge gatherings are expected. 

However, in small mosques people are allowed to offer prayers if they were a mask and practice social distancing. 

The Jammu and Kashmir administration announced a complete lockdown till May 10 and dozens of check-posts have been set up to stop the unnecessary movement of people. This is all being done to break the transmission chain of infection. 

Meanwhile, Kashmir is witnessing a continuous rise in COVID-19 case and in the last 24 hours it is nearing the 5000-mark while the death toll is at 50.