Protests erupted across Jammu and Kashmir after Khamenei’s killing in a US-Israel strike, with thousands mourning and voicing outrage
Kashmir Reacts to Supreme Leader Khamenei’s Killing with Large-Scale Demonstrations (Source: X)
US-Israel Strike on Iran: Massive protests broke out across various districts of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday as Iranian media confirmed the killing of the country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei by the joint US-Israel attack. The protesters took to the streets to express their outrage over the killing.
Protests broke out across the historic Lal Chowk of Srinagar, along with Shia-majority areas such as Saida Kadal, as protesters gathered in large numbers, raising slogans against the US and Israel while carrying the portraits of Khamenei. According to PTI, hundreds of protesters took out peaceful protests across various districts, especially the Shia-majority areas of the city. Eyewitnesses claim that protesters carrying the portraits of the 86-year-old leader while raising slogans is an indication of the popularity enjoyed by the leader across the region.
However, the protests were not confined to Srinagar alone. In Budgam, Bandipora, and Kargil, thousands took to the streets where the population of Shia Muslims was sizeable. The protesters were seen publicly mourning the death of the Iranian cleric, beating their chests, and referring to Khamenei as a spiritual leader. The portraits of the Supreme Leader were also visible in public places and villages, highlighting his importance to the people of Kashmir.
Several prominent figures denounced the attack, warning of broader regional consequences.
Mehbooba Mufti, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and PDP chief, expressed solidarity with Iran, stating her prayers were with “Iran and its resilient people as they face yet another act of aggression by Israel.” She described Iran as “a defining voice of the Muslim world” and emphasized that “no missile or menace can extinguish its sovereignty or break its spirit.”
Prayers for Iran and its resilient people as they face yet another act of aggression by Israel. A nation that has long stood as a defining voice of the Muslim world draws its strength from unshakable faith and conviction. No missile or menace can extinguish its sovereignty or…
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) February 28, 2026
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Kashmir’s chief cleric, called the strike a serious escalation and criticized the lack of international accountability for Israel’s actions.
Other religious and political leaders, including Agha Syed Hassan, Maulana Masroor Abbas, and Agha Syed Hadi, described the killing as destabilizing with grave implications for the region.
The protests in Kashmir took place immediately after the confirmation by Iranian media of Khamenei’s death, as an early Sunday strike. The geopolitical tensions that continue to ripple across the region of West Asia have seen the events resonate far beyond the region, as they evoke emotional and political reactions across parts of Jammu and Kashmir.
