SRINAGAR: Thousands of Shia mourners wearing black clothes on Sunday took out an Ashura procession in the city here to mark the martyrdom anniversary of Prophet Muhammad’s grandson Imam Hussain on the tenth day of Muharram. The procession was taken out in Srinagar from Bota Kadal in the Lal Bazar area of downtown Srinagar to Zadibal.

Some of the participants were seen thumping chests amid chanting of pro-Islamic slogans. Many of them were also carrying religious flags.

J&K L-G Manoj Sinha visited Bota Kadal in Lal Bazar before the procession started, officials said. Sinha distributed water among the Shia mourners before the procession began from Bora Kadala and culminated at Zadibal Imambara, the officials said.

Senior BJP leaders, including former J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina and general secretary (Org) Ashok Koul, also participated in the procession. National Conference president and three-time ex-J&K CM Farooq Abdullah also took part in the celebrations.

The administration had issued strict guidelines to organisers to prevent the display of flags, banners or photographs associated with banned militant organisations, whether national or international, during Muharram processions. They had also warned against delivering anti-national or inflammatory speeches. Police had set up kiosks on various routes in Srinagar, where Shia mourners were being given water and other refreshments.

The 10th Muharram processions concluded peacefully across the Valley amid tight security arrangements. Notably, it was the third consecutive year that the 10th Muharram procession was allowed in Srinagar.