Our Bureau
Srinagar
Anger swept through Jammu and Kashmir as thousands hit the streets for a second day to mourn Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, killed in a US-Israel air strike. Police used tear gas and baton charges to control crowds in Srinagar and Budgam, where women and children joined marches shouting against Israel and America. At least 14 people, including six officers, got hurt in the clashes.
Security forces tightened curbs across the Kashmir Valley. They slowed mobile internet, shut key roads with wires, and posted guards at spots like Lal Chowk. Shops closed in Srinagar, Kishtwar, Doda, and Ramban as Shia groups held prayers and shutdowns. In Jammu areas like Bhatindi and Chanderkote, small protests broke out with anti-US slogans. Police urged calm and warned media against fake news.
Far away in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, Shia families lit candles in Mominpara. Kids held posters praising Khamenei and slamming US President Donald Trump and Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu. The event stayed quiet, with extra police watching. Similar marches happened in Lucknow and parts of Karnataka, showing solidarity with Iran.
Authorities promise to keep order while respecting grief. Tension lingers as India watches Middle East events closely.
