Lucknow: Eid was celebrated across Uttar Pradesh on Saturday with prayers, greetings and tight security arrangements in major cities. In Lucknow, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav visited the Aishbagh mosque to greet people, where a large crowd gathered and briefly turned unruly as supporters raised slogans in his favour.
Leaders from multiple political parties were seen sharing space at the venue, reflecting a show of outreach on the occasion. Former deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma and Congress state president Ajay Rai also reached out to people and extended Eid greetings.
Akhilesh Yadav greeted people by embracing them and later spoke to the media outside the mosque. He targeted the state government over law and order issues and alleged insult to the Brahmin community. Taking a swipe, he said the ruling party would face defeat in the 2027 elections and cited recent incidents of violence to question governance in the state.
In a parallel development, members of the Shia community in Lucknow, Sambhal and Prayagraj offered namaz wearing black bands. The protest was held against killings in Iran, with references to Ali Khamenei, and slogans raised against the United States and Israel after prayers.
In Barabanki’s Kintoor village, Eid celebrations were not held. The village is historically linked to the ancestors of Ruhollah Khomeini, who are believed to have migrated from the area to Iran.
Elsewhere, scenes of public participation and local engagement were reported. In Varanasi, flower petals were showered on devotees after prayers. In Gonda, people offered namaz on rooftops near mosques due to the absence of an Eidgah. In Jaunpur, police asked people to vacate roads where namaz was being offered.
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In Kanpur, Police Commissioner Raghubir Lal was seen greeting a child in his arms, while DCP East Satyajit Gupta interacted with children and extended wishes. In Varanasi, DIG Shiv Hari Meena was also seen engaging with children.
Eid prayers were held under heavy security in cities including Lucknow, Kanpur, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Agra and Sambhal. Senior police officials remained deployed on the ground and monitored the situation closely.
Islamic Centre of India chairman Maulana Khalid Rasheed appealed to people to avoid offering namaz on roads and to maintain order during the celebrations.
