Shia community members in Bengaluru hold prayers for Khamenei

Bengaluru: Hundreds of Shia community members gathered near Masjid-e-Askari in Richmond Town on Sunday to mourn the death of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a US-Israeli airstrike.

The gathering was organised at short notice after news of his death began circulating early Sunday morning.

Men, women and children assembled in large numbers and later marched from the mosque to the nearby Shia Muslim cemetery. Many carried photographs of the late leader while prayers were offered in his memory. Several women were seen weeping as others stood in silence, shock and anger, reflecting the grief felt across the community. 

The gathering, which began as a solemn condolence meeting, quickly turned into a demonstration against the ongoing war. 

Richmond Town is home to a large Shia Muslim population and is also known for hosting one of Bengaluru’s largest Muharram gatherings each year.

Local MLA N A Haris visited the spot to express solidarity with the mourners. 

Haris emphasised that the struggle witnessed globally today is less about religion and more about a ruthless pursuit of power. 

“We have gathered here today in grief. A leader has been sacrificed, and while the political reasons may be complex, the impact on human life is clear,” he told DH.

“The world claims to be progressing, but are we losing our humanity? Whether it is a superpower or a small nation, the priority must be to uphold human rights and peace. What we are seeing today is a struggle for dominance that disregards the sanctity of life.” 

The mourners, from the Neelasandra and Anepalya areas, raised concerns about the war. Local community leaders expressed anguish, noting that the targeted leader had often stood for the rights of the oppressed. 

“We held a meeting to grieve the loss of innocent lives. Over 2,000 people gathered today and we will observe a 40-day mourning period and condemn this act, in which innocents are suffering. It is devastating that 86 schoolchildren were killed, and the count is still rising,” Central Relief Committee chairman Aga Sultan told DH. 

One attendee said: “We learnt of the death of our beloved leader early this morning and wanted to gather to show our solidarity and mourn together”. 

Another community member condemned the US-Israeli actions. “The world’s silence over the killing of such a respected leader is deeply painful. This is not just a loss for Iran, but for Shia communities across the world,” he stated. 

A woman at the gathering, struggling to hold back tears, said, “We are deeply saddened and shocked. He was not just a political leader, but a spiritual guide for many of us”. 

The meeting concluded with special prayers for the deceased and a collective call for an end to the violence currently ravaging the Middle East.

Community members said they plan to hold more such gatherings and prayer meetings in the coming days to honour his memory and express their grief.