Middle East fallout in Kashmir: Ayatollah's death sparks fury, authorities seal Lal Chowk after protests erupt

• Authorities sealed Lal Chowk in Srinagar after protests erupted.
• All schools in the region closed for two days as a precaution.
• Heavy police and CRPF deployed to maintain law and order.

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Authorities on Monday imposed strict restrictions on public movement and sealed the historic Lal Chowk in Srinagar following widespread protests in the Valley over the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The restrictions, which officials described as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order, were enforced after demonstrators took to the streets in several districts condemning the strike that killed the Iranian leader.

According to reports, Khamenei was killed in Tehran on Saturday during a joint military action by the US and Israel, a development confirmed by Iranian state media on Sunday and met with mourning globally.

In Kashmir, which is home to an estimated 1.5 million Shia Muslims, protests were reported in Lal Chowk, Saida Kadal, Budgam, Bandipora, Anantnag and Pulwama. Witnesses described crowds of mourners beating their chests and raising slogans against the US and Israel.

In response, a heavy contingent of police and paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel was deployed across the city. The iconic Ghanta Ghar at Lal Chowk was sealed off, with barricades erected at major intersections leading into the city to choke off potential gathering points.

The protests coincided with a one-day strike call issued by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, chairman of the Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU), an umbrella body of religious scholars. The separatist leader urged the public to observe the shutdown peacefully.

"We urge the people to observe it with unity, dignity, and complete peacefulness," Mirwaiz was quoted by PTI as saying. The call received immediate political backing, with Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti extending her support.

In a statement, Mufti expressed full solidarity with the shutdown call, asserting that the day of mourning was intended to remind the world that injustice anywhere wounds the entire Muslim community and all those who stand for truth. "This is a day of mourning to remind the world that injustice anywhere wounds the entire Muslim Ummah and all who stand for truth."

In a further bid to contain the situation and ensure the safety of students, the administration ordered the closure of all educational institutions, including private schools, for two days.

Similar curbs were also put in place in other Shia-majority areas across the valley as authorities moved to prevent any escalation, maintaining a tight grip on the region amidst the outpouring of religious sentiment.