Thousands protest in Indian Kashmir at death of Khamenei
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A protest in Srinagar, the main city of Indian Kashmir, on March 1, against the killing of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
PHOTO: EPA
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SRINAGAR, India – Several thousand Shia Muslims joined street demonstrations in Indian-administered Kashmir on March 1 to protest against the killing of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
Protesters holding red, black, and yellow flags converged on the main square in the heart of Srinagar, the main city of Indian Kashmir.
Many of them chanted anti-Israel and anti-US slogans during the emotionally charged but largely peaceful gathering.
Mr Syed Towfeeq, 40, said: “This day we are all very heavy-hearted. We are mourning our beloved leader who was martyred. We all have a message for Trump... We will always stand against your oppression.
“If you think that you have martyred our beloved leader, you are in an illusion... You cannot oppress while we, the sons of Khamenei, are alive.”
US President Donald Trump launched a major attack against Iran on Feb 28
Another protester in Kashmir, Mr Ishfaq Wani, 43, urged Muslim countries to unite “under one flag”.
Similar protests were held in other places across Kashmir and other parts of India with a sizeable Shia Muslim presence.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said he was “deeply concerned” about the developments in Iran.
He urged protesters to remain calm and “avoid any actions that could lead to tension or unrest”.
“We must also ensure that those who are mourning in Jammu and Kashmir are allowed to grieve peacefully,” he said on social media platform X.
Iranian state television reported Mr Khamenei’s death in the early hours of March 1, broadcasting archive images with a black banner.
Iranian media also reported the deaths of his daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter. AFP
