Srinagar, July 15 (IANS): Thousands of Shia Muslim mourners took out the eighth Muharram procession in Jammu & Kashmir’s Srinagar city on Monday.

Authorities had permitted the event with the organisers assuring a peaceful and disciplined Muharram procession.

A large number of Shia Muslim mourners joined the procession that started at Guru Bazaar and ends in the Dalgate area of Srinagar city.

The procession is carried out to commemorate the martyrdom of the Prophet’s grandson, Imam Hussain, his family and supporters at the hands of Yazid’s army in the desert of Karbala in Iraq.

IGP Kashmir zone V. K. Birdi and officers of the civil administration monitored the Muharram procession. The IGP also served water and cool drinks to the mourners.

Shouting pro-Islam slogans and praising the greatest sacrifice by Imam Hussain, the mourners behaved responsibly throughout the procession and did not give any reason to anti-social elements to stoke sectarian passions.

All sections of local society have lauded the decision of the administration to allow the 8th Muharram procession in Srinagar. It was allowed last year as well after a gap of over 30 years since armed violence started in J&K.