Srinagar DM prohibits all religious gatherings, public movement on Shab-e-Barat

Taking the threat posed by coronavirus into account, the district administration in Srinagar on Tuesday prohibited all sorts of religious congregations and public movement on the occasion of Shab-e-Barat.

According to the Srinagar district administration, the order prohibiting the same has been issued by District Magistrate (DM) Shahid Choudhary.

"In view of the prevailing health situation because of COVID-19 outbreak the DM Shahid Choudhary has issued an order prohibiting all sorts of religious congregation and public movement on the occasion of Shab-e-Barat in Srinagar," a tweet by the Srinagar district administration read.

Apart from this, Eidgah and Lal Bazar areas declared as containment zones, were sealed and all entries and exits closed.

Shab-e-Barat, which in Islamic faith means the Night of Forgiveness or the Day of Atonement, is considered to be an occasion when the Almighty forgives sinners if they pray.

Observed on the night between the 14 and 15th day of the eighth month of the Islamic calendar, the occasion is marked by Muslims congregating in mosques and visiting graves of their departed loved ones.

This year it is falling on the intervening night of April 8 and April 9. The roads around mosques and cemeteries see large crowds on the day with extra police deployment to ensure law and order, hence the decision to prohibit all sorts of public movement this year.

According to the Union Health Ministry on Tuesday, Jammu and Kashmir so far has 109 confirmed cases of the disease with two deaths being reported.