Thousands of Shia Muslims on Sunday took to the streets across Kashmir, Lucknow, Bhopal and Hyderabad to protest the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Iran following strikes by the US and Israel.
Iranian media also reported the death of his daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter.
The Ayatollah was respected by Shiite Muslims around the world.
In Kashmir, demonstrators mourning the death of the religious leader filled the streets of the capital, Srinagar, and areas in Budgam and Bandipora.
Protesters carrying red, black and yellow flags gathered in the main square of Lal Chowk in the heart of Srinagar. The demonstrators, carrying pictures of Khamenei along with Iranian flags, climbed the clock tower at Lal Chowk. Some sang praises of Khamenei while others cried.
“We are orphans today,” said Amir Hussain, one of the protesters who walked from Lal Bazaar early in the morning to reach the city centre. “Our beloved religious leader was killed by the tyrants of that time. He has become a martyr today.”
Another demonstrator said: “This is not the death of the leadership of a particular community, but the martyrdom of a person who was loved by a large part of the Islamic world.”
Large numbers of security forces were deployed across the city, and police closed many roads to traffic due to the protests. A police officer said that the protests were peaceful and there was no untoward incident.
Jammu and Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha held a meeting to review security and urged all communities to support peace. “Peace is our collective responsibility and all communities must support it,” Sinha said.
Prime Minister Omar Abdullah expressed his deep concern over the ongoing developments in Iran, including the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He added: “I appeal to all communities to remain calm, maintain peace, and avoid any actions that may lead to tension or unrest.”
Dozens of mourners, mostly from the Shia community, took to the streets across Ladakh on Sunday to protest the killing of Iran’s supreme leader.
The men and women, dressed in black and carrying pictures of the slain leader, marched through major cities, including Leh and Kargil, raising slogans against the United States and Israel.
Hundreds of mourners gathered in the old neighborhoods of Lucknow, which has a large Shiite population.
People carried pictures of Khamenei and black flags in protest against Israel and the United States, and people gathered at the historic Rumi Gate in Lucknow.
Shiite cleric Maulana Kalbi Jawad declared mourning for three days and appealed to people to place black flags over their homes and keep their shops closed. A condolence meeting was also held at Chota Imambada, a Shia center in the city.
In Aligarh, a large number of people gathered near Aligarh Muslim University and organized a demonstration against the attack on Khamenei.
Police officers said that the gatherings were peaceful and no untoward incidents were reported from anywhere in Uttar Pradesh.
A protest demonstration was also held in the Purani Haveli area of Hyderabad where people dressed in black condemned the joint US-Israeli strike on Iran.
The demonstrators raised slogans against the United States and Israel. The march was organized under the auspices of the Al-Jaafari Organization, a Shiite religious organization.
