Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday scaled the boundary wall of the Mazar-e-Shuhada (Martyrs’ Memorial) in Srinagar’s Old City after claiming he was prevented from visiting the site on Sunday, July 13—Martyrs’ Day in the region.
Abdullah said security forces had confined him to his residence under unofficial house arrest, stopping him from paying respects to the 22 Kashmiris killed in 1931 while protesting against Dogra rule. “They did not let me out yesterday. A bunker was placed outside my house. So today, without informing anyone, I simply got into my car and came here,” he told reporters.
He further alleged that security personnel again attempted to block his access even on Monday. “We parked at Nowhatta Chowk. They tried to stop and even manhandle us. I want to ask—under what law did they do this? The restrictions were only for yesterday,” said Abdullah, accusing authorities of overreach and undermining civil liberties.
The former chief minister condemned the restrictions, calling them a denial of basic democratic rights. “They say this is a free country, but treat us like slaves. We are not anyone’s slaves—we are servants of the people,” he asserted.
July 13 is observed annually in Jammu and Kashmir to commemorate the deaths of 22 protestors who were shot by forces of the then-Maharaja Hari Singh outside Srinagar Central Jail in 1931. The protestors had gathered in support of Abdul Qadeer, who was jailed for calling on Kashmiris to rise against the Dogra regime. The event is widely regarded as a pivotal moment in the region’s political history.
