Muslims observe Muharram with ‘tazia’ processions, special prayers

New Delhi: Muslims took out “tazia” processions, flagellated themselves and offered special prayers as they observed Muharram – the martyrdom of Imam Hussain – on Saturday. At least eight people were killed due to electrocution and more than 80 injured in Jharkhand, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh as “tazias” came in contact with high-tension wires.

There were also a few incidents of violence during Muharram processions in places such as Delhi and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several other leaders paid tributes to Hazrat Imam Hussain.

“We recall the sacrifices made by Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS). His courage and commitment to the ideals of justice and human dignity are noteworthy,” Modi said on Twitter. On Ashura, the 10th day of Muharram, Muslims commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussain Ali, a grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, in the battle of Karbala in 680 AD with mourning rituals.

Dressed in black and chanting in unison, Shias parade through streets beating their chests and chanting, while some emulate the suffering of Hussain by flagellating themselves with chains, ropes, etc. Sunni observe fast and offer prayers. “Tazia” is a miniature replica of the tomb of Imam Hussain. Elaborate security arrangements were made in states for peaceful processions.

In Delhi, a section of people taking out Muharram processions clashed with police and pelted stones at them, injuring around 10 cops and damaging several vehicles, after they were stopped from changing the designated route in Nangloi.

The police resorted to lathicharge to disperse the “unruly crowd”, officials said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer) Harendra Singh said, “Several ‘tazia’ processions were being carried out in Nagloi area and around eight to ten thousand people participated in them. One or two organisers became unruly and tried to divert their procession route which was earlier decided.” “When police objected to it, they started pelting stones at police personnel. In order to control them, police resorted to a mild lathicharge and dispersed them from the area,” Singh said

In Uttar Pradesh, two persons lost their lives and 52 sustained burn injuries in Didoli area of Amroha district when the music system of a “tazia” came within the electro-magnetic field of the high-tension wires, Superintendent of Police Aditya Langeh said.

The deceased were identified as Shanu (35) and Owais (13). Among the injured, around four were critical and sent to Delhi for treatment, he said.In state capital Lucknow, a man participating in a Muharram procession sustained burn injuries when the ‘tazia’ caught fire after coming in contact with a high-tension wire. The injured was in a critical condition, officials said. In Lucknow, several Muharram processions were taken out by mourners, especially in the old city area.

In Varanasi, a clash broke out between members of Shia and Sunni communities and stone pelting during a Muharram procession, a police official said.

The official said some people were injured in the incident, but added the exact number was not immediately available.

In Jammu and Kashmir, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha joined a Muharram procession of Shia mourners in Srinagar.

This is the first time in 35 years that a head of the state has joined the Muharram procession, officials said.

Dressed in a black kurta, Sinha joined the procession at Bota Kadal in the Zadibal area of Downtown — the interior areas of the city — escorted by a tight security cover, they said.

He urged people to imbibe the eternal ideals of Hazrat Imam Hussain and work unitedly for peace, progress and prosperity of all.

Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said strict security arrangements had been made ahead of the procession.

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah visited the Zadibal area to join the mourners and distributed food.

Abdullah said there is no Islamic country left in the world which is not beset with problems because “we left the path of Allah and took the path of the devil.”

“Unless we tread the path of God again, we cannot prosper,” he added.

In Jharkhand, four people were killed and 10 others injured after a tazia came in contact with a high-tension wire while preparing for a Muharram procession in Bokaro district.

The incident occurred at Khetko village, around 80 km from the state capital Ranchi.

All the injured people were taken to a nearby hospital. Thereafter, they were referred to the Bokaro General Hospital where four succumbed to their injuries.

The deceased were identified as Sajid Ansari (18), Ashif Raza (21), Ghulam Hussain (19) and Enamul Rab (34).

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren expressed grief over the death of four people.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made in Ranchi and other parts of Jharkhand on Saturday to avoid any untoward incident during Muharram processions, police said.

In Gujarat, two persons died due to electrocution and 22 were injured during a Muharram procession in Rajkot district.

The incident took place in Rasul Para area of Dhoraji town as a “tazia” came in contact with a 22 KV overhead electricity wire. The deceased were identified as Junaid Majothi (22) and Sajid Sama (20).

Andhra Pradesh Governor S Abdul Nazeer said Muharram symbolizes the spirit of sacrifice, which is placed above all virtues of mankind.

He said the remembrance of goodness and sacrifice is the true meaning of Muharram and called on people to emulate the spirit of Muharram embodying humanism, which is the core principle of Islam.

In Maharashtra, hundreds of police personnel were deployed on the streets of Mumbai and its suburbs to prevent any untoward incident during Muharram processions.

The police tightened security in south Mumbai, the suburbs of Mankhurd, Malwani, Kurla and other Muslim-dominated areas of the city.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy wished for the mercy of God on the southern state as Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calender. He added that Muharram is the epitome of sacrifice.

“Tazia” processions were also taken out in Bengaluru and Hubballi in Karnataka, Jaipur and Sikar in Rajasthan, Kolkata and other parts of West Bengal, and Delhi.