Hundreds of thousands of Shia Muslims took out a 5km march in old Lucknow against what they termed the “murder” of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei by the joint forces of the US and Israel.
The procession turned into a meeting of mourners at Imambara Hussainabad Mubarak (Chhota Imambara), where people expressed anger at US President Donald Trump.
A large number of Sunni Muslims also joined the protest and demanded that the Narendra Modi government “rise above personal politics and make a clear statement against Israel and America”.
“America and Israel attacked and killed Khamenei. They must be erased from the face of the earth soon,” Shia leader Maulana Kalbe Jawad said, announcing a three-day mourning for Khamenei.
Khalid Rashid Firangimahli, a Sunni cleric and member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, said: “No sane person can accept this kind of attack in which a large number of civilians, including children, are killed.”
Visit 40 years ago
Residents of a nondescript village in Karnataka which Khamenei had visited 40 years ago are grieving his death.
On Sunday, a sombre atmosphere prevailed at Alipura village in Chikkaballapur district, 70km from Bengaluru. Many people could not hold back their tears during a special prayer organised at a mosque.
According to villagers, Khamenei visited Alipura in 1986 following an invitation. A hospital was later built in the village in Khamenei’s name.
Ajmer
The Shia community in Ajmer has announced a three-day mourning over Khamenei’s killing.
Hyderabad
A protest rally was held in Hyderabad on Sunday. Security has been beefed up outside the US consulate.
Additional inputs from PTI
