Massive protests have erupted across Kashmir against the killing of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Large crowds gathered in front of United Nations Military Observers Group (UNMOGIP) headquarters in Srinagar. They were shouting slogans against the United States and Israel and its allies.
In view of continuous protests and shut down call tomorrow, authorities have curtailed mobile internet service in Srinagar.
Government has also announced closure of all the schools and colleges for two days.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has appealed for calm amid widespread protests in the Valley.
The Chief Minister said that his government is in close coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs to ensure the safety and well-being of J&K residents, including students who are in Iran.
Thousands marched on the streets in different parts of Srinagar and adjacent areas. They converged at the city centre Lal Chowk and resorted to slogans against the killing of Khamenei.
A heavy Police and paramilitary deployment has been made and top officers, including Jammu and Kashmir Director General Of Police Nalin Prabhat, were personally at protest sites. There was no report of any untoward incident or violence as protests were completely peaceful.
A large number of women and children carrying Khamenei photographs and flags were part of protests. It was massive outpouring of grief and anger as mourners beat their chests to show intense grief over the killing of their religious leader Khamenei.
"He (Khamenei) is more dear to me than my parents. It's an irreplaceable loss. They have martyred him because he was biggest pillar of Islam," said a woman protester at Lal Chowk.
She was accompanied by her husband and eight-year-old son.
"There are no words to express our grief. But they can't stop the idea of Khamenei after his martyrdom," said Ajaz Rizvi.
During protests, there was a common slogan, "Allah o Akbar, Khamenei rehbar (God is great and Khamenei is the leader)" and "America ka jo yaar hai, gaddar hai, Israel ka yaar hai gaddar hai (Those who are friends with US and Israel are traitors)".
At the UN military Observers Group for India and Pakistan located at Sonwar, Srinagar, protesters tried to submit a memorandum but no official from UN office came out as police and CRPF barracked the main gate of the UNMOGIP. For several hours, protesters staged a sit in there and blocked the road amid mourning and sloganeering.
This is first time in last many years that a protest of such a magnitude was allowed in Srinagar.
Khamenei was holding central authority for Shiite Muslims and it's that deep reverence for him, the Valley and Ladakh witnessed such an outpouring of anger and grief.
