Meerut/Gorakhpur, March 22 -- Eid-ul-Fitr was celebrated with devotion, unity, and heightened security across Meerut, as thousands of worshippers gathered at the Shahi Eidgah and hundreds of mosques to offer prayers for peace, communal harmony, and national well-being. From early morning, the city witnessed large congregations of devotees arriving at designated prayer sites. At the Shahi Eidgah on Delhi Road - the largest prayer venue in the city - namaz was offered at 8 AM under the leadership of City Qazi Jainul Salikeen. Worshippers embraced each other after prayers, exchanging greetings and reinforcing the message of brotherhood and social cohesion. Eid prayers were conducted at 28 Eidgahs and 375 mosques across the city. The largest turnout was recorded at the Delhi Road Eidgah, where the crowd swelled so significantly that authorities had to stop devotees at the Railway Road intersection nearly 30 minutes before the scheduled prayer time to prevent overcrowding. The move led to brief moments of jostling between police personnel and worshippers, but the situation remained under control. Security arrangements were comprehensive and multi-layered. The area around the Shahi Eidgah was secured with the deployment of three additional superintendents of police (SPs), five deputy SPs, 23 inspectors, 80 sub-inspectors, and around 250 constables and head constables. Specialised units including RAF, RRF, and QRT were also stationed. CCTV cameras were installed at key points, with real-time monitoring carried out by officials via mobile devices to ensure swift response to any situation. A small number of Shia Muslims attended prayers wearing black armbands as a mark of protest and mourning. They cited recent international developments involving Iran, expressing grief over the deaths of innocent civilians, including women, children, and the elderly. Some also mentioned that the final rites of Iran's supreme leader had not yet been conducted, making the gesture a symbolic act of solidarity. Senior administrative and police officials maintained a strong presence throughout the city. District Magistrate Dr VK Singh, SSP Avinash Pandey, SP Crime Avinash Kumar, SP City Ayush Vikram Singh, and SP Traffic Raghvendra Kumar Mishra, along with other officers and personnel, actively monitored the situation on the ground. Members of the Shia community in Gorakhpur and Siddharth Nagar observed Eid in a subdued manner on Saturday, refraining from traditional celebrations to mourn the demise of their supreme religious leader, Ayatollah Khamenei. Wearing black armbands, community members offered Eid namaz without exchanging customary greetings or embracing one another. No public functions or festivities were organised. Instead, people gathered at Eidgah Sheikhpur, where a photograph of the late leader was placed at Imambada Sheikhpur for floral tributes. Speaking to the media, Mirza Alamdar said the community was deeply saddened, describing Khamenei as not only a leader of Iran but a supreme religious guide for Shia Muslims worldwide. He added that since the burial had not yet taken place, the community chose not to celebrate Eid. Women also participated in the mourning. Urooj Rizvi, a teacher at an English-medium school, said that Shia families avoided purchasing henna, bangles, or new clothes this year and decided not to exchange Eid greetings. In Dumariyaganj town of Siddharth Nagar, Shia Imam Shahkar Hussain said that the community must continue to raise its voice against oppression. As a mark of respect, the Shia Federation cancelled all Eid celebrations. The town, which has a sizable Shia population, observed the day with prayers and discussions, including concerns about students studying at religious institutions in Qom, Iran....