NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his greetings to the nation on the occasion of Eid ul-Adha on Thursday, as India celebrated Bakrid with special prayers and charitable festivities.“Eid ul-Adha greetings! May this occasion deepen the spirit of brotherhood and happiness in our society. Praying for everyone’s success and good health,” Modi posted on X.Rahul Gandhi also shared his wishes on social media in regards to the auspicious occasion. “Wishing you and your family a Bakrid filled with joy. May your home be filled with warmth and togetherness today. Eid Mubarak,” he wrote.

Celebration and preparations across India

Special prayers were offered at the Fatehpuri Masjid in Old Delhi, while large crowds gathered at the Jama Masjid in New Delhi and at various Eidgahs to offer prayers.Joint Commissioner of Police Madhur Verma, during routine security patrols, said celebrations have so far remained completely incident-free and expressed hope this trend would continue.In Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal district, Eid-ul-Adha prayers were conducted peacefully under police supervision. Om Prakash, a temple attendant, said Hindu and Muslim communities have coexisted harmoniously for generations, with the temple and Eidgah sharing a common wall.In Rajasthan, the Jannati Darwaza at the Khwaja Garib Nawaz Dargah was opened in the early hours, with large crowds gathering to offer prayers.In other states including Maharashtra, West Bengal, Bihar, and Rajasthan, the festival is being celebrated peacefully.In Uttar Pradesh, Joint Commissioner of Police Bablu Kumar said 46 officers of the rank of Additional SP and approximately 14 officers of the rank of Deputy SP have been deployed, along with a police force of nearly 1,500 personnel. Meetings with peace committees were conducted by all SHOs and ACPs across all zones.In West Bengal, Police Commissioner of Chandannagar Sunil Kumar Yadav said Rapid Action Force (RAF) and Emergency First Response (EFR) teams will be deployed along with 12 companies of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). About 22 coordination meetings were held with community leaders.“All sacrifices (qurbani) will be conducted in closed areas only. Meat distribution will also be strictly in closed spaces. Traffic flow will remain normal,” Yadav said.