Brotherhood, piety mark Eid; clashes in Valley

Mass animal sacrifices, piety and spirit of brotherhood marked Muslim festival Eid-ul-Azha which was celebrated across the country on Monday with faithful thronging mosques to offer prayers.

Mass animal sacrifices, piety and spirit of brotherhood marked Muslim festival Eid-ul-Azha which was celebrated across the country on Monday with faithful thronging mosques to offer prayers.

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With security forces keeping a tight vigil, the festivities passed off peacefully save Kashmir Valley where pitched battles between youths and police left 17 injured.

Muslims rededicated themselves to Islamic tenets of love and piety to mark the Festival of Sacrifice which commemorates the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God.

Thousands of sheep and goats were sacrificed as people distributed the meat among neighbours and relatives on the pious occasion.

Clerics and community leaders delivered sermons on the occasion of the auspicious festival which occurs the day after pilgrims conducting Haj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia by Muslims worldwide, descend from Mount Arafat.

Imams, in their speeches, asked the faithful to follow principles of love, compassion and kindness as preached by Islam.

In Kashmir Valley, at least 17 security force personnel were injured as youths clashed with them soon after the congregational prayers in Anantnag district.

Chanting slogans, the protesters hurled stones at the security forces who fired tear smoke cannisters to restore calm, police said.