Relics of Pir Dastageer Sahab safe
SRINAGAR: More than two dozen people were injured in clashes with police in downtown Srinagar after a fire broke out in 200-year-old Peer Dastageer Sahib shrine at Khanyar. The fire, which started in the dome of the wooden shrine due to a short circuit at about 6.30am on Monday, soon engulfed the whole building.
Angry locals took to the streets holding fire officials responsible for laxity in reaching the shrine and clashed with them, in which several firemen were also injured.
"The fire tenders arrived late and they had no water. Because of their unpreparedness, the entire building was ablaze in a matter of minutes," said Riyaz Ahmad Bhat of Khanyar.
The cause of the fire is being inquired into, said director general of fire and emergency GA Bhat. "But the protesting people damaged 22 department vehicles and burnt down one. They also damaged a sky lift which costs Rs 6 crore," he said. In all, 15 firemen were injured.
Bhat denied any scarcity of water in fire tenders. "The people did not allow firemen to use water from the nearby Barinimbal canal," Bhat said.
The Sufi shrine of Hazrat Shaikh Abdula Qadir Jeelani, popularly known as Peer Dastageer Sahib, is revered in the whole of Kashmir. Syed Khalid Hussain, the 'sajjada nasheen' (descendent of the peer) of Dastageer Sahib, said the holy relic and copies of holy Quran are safe in his custody.
Soon after the news spread, people began pelting stones at passing vehicles in the city, forcing the authorities to restrict people's movement. The restrictions in turn triggered clashes between the youth and the police. Police and CRPF men used smoke shells and resorted to lathi charge to disperse the agitating mob.
Muthaida Majlis-e-Ulema, the amalgam of various religious organizations, asked people to observe a shutdown on Tuesday to mourn the loss.
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| Firefighters try to douse the fire that broke out at the Pir Dastageer Sahab shrine in Srinagar on Monday. |
SRINAGAR: More than two dozen people were injured in clashes with police in downtown Srinagar after a fire broke out in 200-year-old Peer Dastageer Sahib shrine at Khanyar. The fire, which started in the dome of the wooden shrine due to a short circuit at about 6.30am on Monday, soon engulfed the whole building.
Angry locals took to the streets holding fire officials responsible for laxity in reaching the shrine and clashed with them, in which several firemen were also injured.
"The fire tenders arrived late and they had no water. Because of their unpreparedness, the entire building was ablaze in a matter of minutes," said Riyaz Ahmad Bhat of Khanyar.
The cause of the fire is being inquired into, said director general of fire and emergency GA Bhat. "But the protesting people damaged 22 department vehicles and burnt down one. They also damaged a sky lift which costs Rs 6 crore," he said. In all, 15 firemen were injured.
Bhat denied any scarcity of water in fire tenders. "The people did not allow firemen to use water from the nearby Barinimbal canal," Bhat said.
The Sufi shrine of Hazrat Shaikh Abdula Qadir Jeelani, popularly known as Peer Dastageer Sahib, is revered in the whole of Kashmir. Syed Khalid Hussain, the 'sajjada nasheen' (descendent of the peer) of Dastageer Sahib, said the holy relic and copies of holy Quran are safe in his custody.
Soon after the news spread, people began pelting stones at passing vehicles in the city, forcing the authorities to restrict people's movement. The restrictions in turn triggered clashes between the youth and the police. Police and CRPF men used smoke shells and resorted to lathi charge to disperse the agitating mob.
Muthaida Majlis-e-Ulema, the amalgam of various religious organizations, asked people to observe a shutdown on Tuesday to mourn the loss.
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