Srinagar, July 13: Kashmir observed a complete shutdown on Friday in remembrance of the martyrs of July 13, 1931.
The day was also observed as a public holiday in the state to mark the people’s uprising against the autocratic Dogra rule in Jammu and Kashmir.
Governor NN Vohra, the state head, however, went against the norm and skipped visiting the martyrs’ graveyard here.
All commercial establishments, including shops and private establishments, remained closed while traffic was off the roads.
Authorities, meanwhile, imposed strict curfew in Maharaj Gunj, Nowhatta, Rainawari, Safa Kadal, Khanyar, Kralkhud and Maisuma areas of Srinagar.
They had also put separatists under house detention. Hurriyat (G) Chairman, Syed Ali Geelani continues to remain under house arrest while as Hurriyat (M) chief Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who was scheduled to take out a rally to Khanqah-i-Naqshband Sahib, too, was placed under house arrest at his Nigeen residence.
JKLF chairman, Mohammad Yasin Malik is already under detention.
The authorities also disallowed people from offering Friday prayers in Jamia Masjid here.
Strongly denouncing the move, Mutahida Masjlis-e-Ulema (MMU) and Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid (AAJM), in a statement, said it was the 10th time this year that Friday prayers were barred in the historic masjid.
“MMU and AAJM strongly protest frequent closure of Kashmir’s religious and spiritual center. It not only hurts the sentiments of the people but is a grave violation of their religious freedom. Using military might to confine people and impose such curbs is a blatant interference in our religious matters. It is bound to evoke anger and resentment in the masses. We demand an immediate halt to these the anti-people policies imposed by the ruling regime,” read the statement.
The two bodies also condemned the continuous detention of the chief cleric and chairperson Mirwaiz Umar Farooq at his Nigeen residence and barring him from carrying out his religious duties time and again.
Authorities, in addition, didn’t allow people to offer Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid Trehgam Kupwara and Jamia Majid Chekpora Trehgam, the area where a youth was shot dead by army.
Soon after the Friday prayers, clashes were also reported from Trehgam town between youth and government forces. In Kralpora, a group of youth took out the protest rally against the killing of Khalid Gaffar. Khalid was killed in an army firing on Wednesday late evening.
An official said that while in other places of the district, Friday prayers concluded peacefully.
It was on July 13, 1931 when 22 Kashmiris were gunned down by the army of autocratic Dogra ruler after the people rose against Maharaja’s rule for their rights.
Joint Hurriyat had urged the people to march towards the Martyrs’ graveyard at Naqshband Sahab in old city to pay tributes to the 1931 martyrs.
