SrinagarFollowing the past practice authorities Thursday sealed off a graveyard in Srinagar where martyrs of 1931 uprising against the then autocratic rule are lying in peace.
While police prevented people from visiting the Martyrs Cemetery, situated adjacent to Sufi shrine of Naqshband Sahab in Khwaja Bazar, by erecting barricades and sealing off the entire old city, it ensured hassle free visit of VIPs including state Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and her cabinet colleagues to the graveyard.
Mufti offered floral tributes to the martyrs while a police band presented guard of honour. While her cabinet colleagues belonging to Peoples Democratic Party were present, her other cabinet colleagues from alliance partner, the BJP were conspicuous by there absence.
A select group of other mainstream politicians like National Conference patron Dr Farooq Abdullah and even Congress party leader G A Mir reached there to pay respects.
1931 uprising on this day was against the autocratic rule of Dogra Maharajas whom PDP ally, the BJP glorifies as heroes.
Strict restrictions had been imposed in many parts of Srinagar and all resistance leaders, who claim to be guardians of martyrs mission, were either placed under house arrest or detained inside their homes.
Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) had called for a march to the Martyrs Cemetery to commemorate the day and offer tributes.
Kashmirs top religious cleric and separatist leader, Mirwaiz Muhammad Umar Farooq was detained after he broke a cordon around his residence in Nigeen quarter of the city and tried to march towards the martyrs cemetery.
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A spokesperson of Hurriyat (M) said that as soon as Mirwaiz stepped out of his Nigeen residence and started marching towards old city, he was detained by a posse of police deployed outside his home. Mirwaiz was lodged in Police Station Nigeen.
On the call of JRL a complete shutdown marked the Martyrs Day in Kashmir Valley while authorities resorted to clamp-down and imposed restrictions to foil the proposed march by Joint Resistance Leadership.
It was on July 13, 1931 when 22 Kashmiris were gunned down by the army of autocratic Dogra ruler after the people rose against his rule.
As the morning broke, heavy contingents of police and paramilitary CRPF men sealed all the entry points to the city by erecting barricades and concertina wire on the roads to restrict the movement of people.
Shops, business establishments and other commercial establishments remained closed while public transport was off the roads. Mostly CRPF and police personnel were seen dotting the roads.
In old city, the force personnel in battle gear patrolled the lanes and by lanes in a bid to restrict the movement of residents and to thwart any protests.
In Nowhatta, Safakadal, Zainakadal Rainawari, MR Gunj and other places, the forces had erected hurdles to restrict the movement.
We were not allowed to go outside. Whosoever tried to step out was driven away by the police and CRPF men. We were forced to stay indoors, Irshad Ahmad, a resident of Nowhatta locality said.
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In Civil Lines, complete shutdown was observed. Force personnel had erected barricades at Panthacowk and Shalteng crossing to prevent vehicles coming from south and north Kashmir to enter Srinagar.
In north Kashmirs Baramulla, Sopore, Zainageer, Rafiabad and Bandipora areas, complete shutdown was observed. The shops were closed and no public transport plied on the roads except some skeletal private transport. The situation in the volatile South Kashmir, however, remained peaceful. People observed complete strike in Anantnag, Kulgam, Pulwama, Shopian and other areas. Concertina wires were laid in different parts of these districts to restrict the movement of the people.
Shutdown was also observed in North and Central Kashmir.