Untimely 'azaans' leads to panic in Kashmir

Panic gripped Kashmir late on Wednesday night after there were untimely 'azaans from mosques at several places across the valley amid the lockdown imposed to check the spread of coronavirus.

Some people reached their nearby mosques while many prayed at their homes after the 'azaans' at 10 pm on Wednesday, officials said.

A religious organisation in Pakistan had reportedly asked Muslims across the world to come out of their houses and offer prayers at around 10 pm.

The people who had reached the mosques stayed there for some time and later returned to their homes, officials said.

Meanwhile, in view of the coronavirus scare and gatherings at mosques on Wednesday night, the authorities appealed to the people not to gather at religious places and stay home.

"Prayers are equally effective from home as they would be from a religious place. Don't call people out when everyone in world is #StayingHomeNow," district magistrate Srinagar Shahid Choudhary said on Twitter.

He said closing of religious places, which attract gatherings, is an important step to save a whole population.

"Let's stay indoors, stay safe to be able to worship again," he said.

Later, Choudhary said managements of various religious places had cooperated with the administration and closed the places.

"Closure of all religious places in #Srinagar is under way. With active cooperation of Managenent committees. Revered shrines Hazratbal, Naqshband Saheb show the way. #StayAtHome," he said in another tweet.

"Dastgeer Saheb, Gurudwara Saheb Chhati Padshahi and others. Mosques follow. Thankful to officials on ground and all management committees. #StayAtHome," he added.