Viral Video: Omar Abdullah Scales Wall To Enter Martyrs’ Graveyard Amid House Arrest In Srinagar

In a dramatic gesture on Monday, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah jumped over the boundary wall of the Mazar-e-Shuhada at Srinagar’s Naqshband Sahib to offer prayers after allegedly being stopped by security forces.

This incident came a day after the Jammu and Kashmir Police sealed the Martyrs’ cemetery and confined top political leaders, including Abdullah, inside their residences preventing them from visiting the Mazar-e-Shuhada to mark the anniversary of the 1931 massacre, where protesters were shot dead by Maharaja Hari Singh’s Dogra forces on July 13.

Abdullah said he did not inform anyone before heading to the graveyard as he had been placed under house arrest on Kashmir Martyrs’ Day.

“Paid my respects & offered Fatiha at the graves of the martyrs of 13th July 1931. The unelected government tried to block my way, forcing me to walk from Nawhatta chowk. They blocked the gate to Naqshband Sahib shrine, so I scaled a wall. They tried to physically grapple me, but I was not going to be stopped today,” Abdullah posted on X.

The graveyard is located beside the shrine of Khwaja Bahawuddin Naqshbandi.

Earlier in the day, Abdullah criticised the lack of media coverage about the detention of elected representatives.

“Take a look at our local newspapers both from Jammu and Srinagar, English & vernacular. You’ll be able to distinguish the cowards from the ones with guts. The cowards buried the story that the entire elected government was locked up yesterday. Shame on the sellouts. I hope the size of the envelope was worth it,” he posted on X.

He also lashed out at the “unelected nominees of New Delhi” for detaining J&K’s elected representatives.

“To borrow from the late Arun Jaitley Sb democracy in J&K is a tyranny of the unelected. The unelected nominees of New Delhi locked up the elected representatives of the people of J-K,” he wrote, sharing images of police vehicles and restricted movement outside his residence.

CPI(M) MLA Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami also said he was placed under house arrest and denied the right to pay tribute.

“A padlock on my gate, placed under house arrest and denied the right to pay homage to the July 13 martyrs. This day reminds us of those who laid down their lives for democracy,” he posted on X.

JKNC spokesperson and Zadibal MLA Tanvir Sadiq also shared that several elected representatives, including himself, were detained.

“Since last night, I and many colleagues including party leadership at Gupkar have been locked inside our homes. This is not just unfortunate it’s a deliberate attempt to suppress remembrance,” he wrote.

PDP President Mehbooba Mufti condemned the action, calling for emotional unity between Kashmir and the rest of India.

“The day you accept our heroes as your own, just like Kashmiris have embraced Mahatma Gandhi and Bhagat Singh, the ‘dil ki doori’ will truly end,” she said on X.

Martyrs’ Day in Kashmir, once an official holiday, was removed from the state calendar after Article 370 was revoked in 2019.

(With inputs from ANI)

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