Srinagar
Intense sloganeering was witnessed in Khanqah-e-Moalla shrine in Srinagar on Wednesday after the Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti visited the shrine to assess the damaged caused to the shrine by the overnight fire.
Reports said that the men and women who had assembled inside the Khanqah raised the pro-freedom and pro-Islam slogans as Mehbooba was leaving from the shrine.
Later in the afternoon, a government communique said that Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti rushed to Srinagar on Wednesday and visited the shrine of Hazrat Amir i Kabeer Mir Syed Ali Hamdani (R.A.) which has suffered some damages in a fire incident previous night.
Cancelling all her engagements, Mehbooba Mufti air dashed to Srinagar early morning and straight away drove to the shrine of saint in the Shahr i Khaas, said an official handout.
The Chief Minister went round various areas of the shrine complex to assess the quantum of damage. She sought a detailed appraisal from the local administration regarding the fire incident.
Interacting with the members of the management committee and devotees, Mehbooba Mufti said the shrine of Hazrat Amir i Kabir (R.A.) symbolizes the pluralistic ethos of Kashmir society from which every citizen of the State draws spiritual solace.
The Chief Minister expressed her deep appreciation for the local youth who came forward and prevented the fire from spreading.
On the occasion, people of the area demanded installation of CCTVs in the shrine complex, availability of fire tenders in the locality, scientific protection to the wood structures at the shrine and expediting shrine expansion plan.
Minister for Education, Syed Altaf Bukhari; Minister of State for Health & Medical Education, Asiea Naqash; MLC, Khursheed Alam; Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Baseer Khan; IGP Kashmir zone, Munir Khan and other senior officers accompanied the Chief Minister during the visit.
Later in the day, the Chief Minister is expected to convene a meeting in this regard, said the handout.
