Miscreants try to set mosque on fire in Kashmir

Srinagar, Mar 12 (UNI) Thousands of people today took to streets and forced the closure of the Srinagar airport road here for several hours after miscreants tried to set on fire a mosque and desecrate the holy Quran in the uptown Barzulla area here last night.

Official sources said miscreants tried to set on fire the Abu Bakr Mosque at Habib Colony, Hyderpora in the uptown Barzulla area here last night.

The miscreants had desecrated the holy Quran and set on fire the furnishings of the mosque, the sources said.

Eyewitnesses said when the muezzin went to the mosque to call for Fajr (morning) prayers, he noticed that the leaves of the holy Quran were scattered on the floor and the furnishings had got burnt down.

As he made the announcement on the public address system, thousands of people came to the mosque and started protesting the incident.

However, the fire had not spread and the mosque was safe, the sources said.

Later, the people took to streets in protest against the incident forcing the closure of the busy Srinagar airport road for several hours.

The sources said the agitated people dispersed after they were pacified and assured by senior civil and police officials, who immediately rushed to the area, that the miscreants would soon be nabbed and strict action taken against them.

Police have registered a case and started investigations.

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