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13 Soldiers Punished in Kashmir for attending Eid Prayers

By Fayaz Wani

Srinagar, Dec 26: At least 13 Indian para-military force (CRPF) personnel were punished in Kashmir for defying orders and offering Eid-ul-Azha prayers in a mosque.

Sources said that at least 100 Muslim para-military personnel (mostly Kashmiris) deployed at a camp at Rambagh, few kilometers from the summer capital Srinagar, had sought permission to offer Eid-ul-Azha prayers (Eid was celebrated by Muslims last Friday) in a local mosque. Citing security reasons, the senior officials of para-military force denied permission to their men to leave the camp and offer prayers in a mosque.

Sources said that 15 Muslim para-military soldiers defied the orders and left the camp on Eid to offer Eid prayers in a local mosque. "After offering the prayers, the soldiers returned to the camp", they said.

This act has not gone well with senior officials of the para-military force. They have ordered that the soldiers, who left the camp to offer prayers in a mosque, be placed under suspension for five days. Sources said that the seniors withdrew the ammunition and the belts of the soldiers.

Confirming the incident, CRPF spokesperson in Srinagar said that 13 soldiers were placed under temporary suspension and two others were reprimanded. He said it was a disciplinary action necessitated by the defiance of orders by the soldiers. He said that the weapons would be returned back to the soldiers after their serving the punishment period.

He said that the soldiers were denied permission to attend prayers in a mosque on security reasons.

Fayaz Wani reports on life in Srinagar, Kashmir.