LUCKNOW: Protests erupted in various districts of UP, including state capital Lucknow and Prayagraj, following the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in an attack by the United States and Israel.
In Lucknow, thousands from the Shia community came out onto the streets. Women were seen crying and beating their chests. Protesters raised slogans of “Khamenei Zindabad” and “Down with America and Israel”.
“Those who have treachery in their blood have killed Khamenei through deception. Khamenei was my lion. If one Khamenei is killed, thousands of Khameneis will rise... Israel and America are deceivers…,” the protesters shouted.
The All India Shia Personal Law Board announced three days of mourning for the departed leader. The board’s general secretary, Maulana Yasoob Abbas, said people would put up black flags at their homes and wear black clothes. Religious gatherings would be organised in Khamenei’s name, he added.
President of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind Maulana Mahmood Madni also expressed concern over the escalation in West Asia saying that no political or international issue could be resolved through war.
Expressing grief over the death of Khamenei and his relatives, Maulana Madni said it was against international law to attack the leadership of a country.
Expressing solidarity with the people of Iran, the cleric appealed to the United Nations and international community to stop the military action against Iran immediately paving the way for meaningful diplomatic efforts to reduce the tension.
Meanwhile, rising military tensions in the Gulf and the closure of Dubai's airspace severely disrupted flight operations at Lucknow’s Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport.
All scheduled arrivals and departures between Lucknow and Gulf countries were cancelled with airlines clearly citing “Dubai airspace closure” as the reason. According to airport authorities, a total of 14 major international flights—both incoming and outgoing—were cancelled, affecting nearly 2,500 passengers. As a result, the Terminal-3 building, designated for international operations, remained completely deserted throughout the day.
Under normal circumstances, nine flights depart daily from Lucknow to Gulf destinations, while eight flights arrive from there.
Following the cancellations, large numbers of passengers gathered at airline inquiry counters seeking updates. Those with scheduled travel in the coming days appeared anxious. Relatives of passengers stranded in Gulf countries also continued visiting the airport for information.
Airlines have informed passengers that new ticket bookings for Gulf routes will remain suspended until March 8, or until the situation stabilises. In the meantime, affected passengers are being offered options of full refunds or rescheduling.
Many people from different districts of Uttar Pradesh are currently caught in the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel, leaving families anxious about the safety of their loved ones. While some manage to check in through video calls, others are unable to communicate at all.
The family of Samajwadi Party leader Dan Bahadur Singh from Jhunsi in Prayagraj is stranded in Israel. Singh said he recently spoke to his children via video call. His daughter Kavita, son-in-law Rajesh Yadav, and one-year-old grandson Ritvik have been living in Israel for about four years, where Rajesh works as a research scholar.
Syed Mohammad Askari’s sister, her husband, and their son are stranded in Iran. They live in Qom, where his sister teaches at a madrasa. His brother-in-law hails from Karari in Kaushambi. The family has been settled in Iran for around 35 years.
Askari said the last communication was on February 18. Normally, they would speak every 8–10 days, but since the attacks began, all contact has been lost. Calls go unanswered.
Sakib Mustafa, son of Khushnoor Raja Rizvi from Daryabad, is also in Iran. Rizvi said they spoke a day before the attacks began, but have not been able to reach him since. The family continues trying, but network and security restrictions prevent communication.
