Mirwaiz Umar Farooq placed under house arrest in J&K

Srinagar: Senior separatist leader and Chief cleric, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was placed under house arrest on Friday, Anjuman-e-Auqaf Jamia Masjid Srinagar said in a statement.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq traditionally offers Friday prayers at the Jamia Masjid in the old city Nowhatta area of Srinagar where he also delivers the Friday sermon.

Anjuman-e-Auqaf Jamia Masjid which manages the affairs of the grand mosque said that authorities placed Mirwaiz Umar under house arrest at his city outskirts Nigeen residence.

The management of the grand mosque said the authorities informed them on Friday that the Mirwaiz would not offer the Friday prayers at the mosque as he had been put under house arrest.

The management said that the arrest of the Mirwaiz appears to be a consequence of the blasphemous social media post put up by a student of the government medical college Srinagar that had hurt the sentiments of the local Muslims.

College authorities have already suspended the student from attending classes while the police also registered an FIR against him for posting sensitive content on social media that can hurt the religious sentiments of a particular community.