J&K protests against Khamenei’s death, candle march held in Raipur

SRINAGAR/JAMMU: Security restrictions tightened in the Kashmir Valley on Monday as protests over the killing of Ayatollah Khamenei entered their second day, with protests spreading to Jammu region and triggering candlelight vigils in Chhattisgarh state capital Raipur.Police in J&K fired tear gas and carried out lathi charges in several hotspots, while authorities throttled mobile internet speeds and sealed off the main city centre. In the Budgam district, hundreds of women and children marched and shouted slogans against Israel and the United States.

Clashes broke out on the Srinagar-Gulmarg road as Shia mourners tried to reach Srinagar. On Sunday, Lal Chowk in Srinagar, the epicenter of the protests, was cordoned off with a hexagonal barbed wire fence. Police and paramilitary forces manned checkpoints and stopped vehicles. Shops were closed in Srinagar and most parts of the valley. A senior police officer said tight restrictions would remain in place on Tuesday.The national conference condemned the restrictions. Law and order within the Federation are beyond the control of the democratically elected government.Apart from the valley, work stoppages were also witnessed in Kishtwar and Doda districts of Jammu region. With most shops and businesses remaining closed, authorities in Doda issued advisories urging people to exercise restraint, officials said. In Ramban, the Shia community held commemorative prayers for a second day in memory of Khamenei and others killed in air strikes. Smaller protests were reportedly held in Rajouri and Poonch.Condolences far away from J&K reached Raipur. In the Mominpara district, members of the Shia community, which included children, lit candles, said prayers and held posters hailing Khamenei while denouncing the United States and Israel. The placards targeted Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu. The police deployed additional personnel as a precaution. Officials said the situation remained calm.(Inputs from Raipur)