Srinagar, July 13: All roads leading to the “Mazaar-e-Shoudha” the graveyard of martyrs of 1931 in the downtown Srinagar were closed and no function by any political party was allowed on Monday.
The mainstream political party leaders said that they had applied for permission to pay tributes to martyrs today but were denied by the administration.
Till last year official function was being held at the martyrs graveyard and chief ministers, police chiefs and leaders of main political parties were paying floral tributes on this day every year. However, the Union Territory (UT) administration in 2019 dropped Martyrs Day from the list of official holidays in the UT alongwith birthday of NC founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah.
Last year then Governor Satya Pal Malik’s advisor Khursheed Ahmad Khan, politicians and top officers of civil and police administration, including then Divisional Commissioner, Baseer Ahmad Khan, paid floral tributes to martyrs. Khan is presently advisor to Governor G C Murmu.
Hundreds of security forces and police personnel have been deployed in the downtown to maintain law and order.
Security forces had closed all roads leading to martyrs graveyard at shrine of Naqashband sahib Khawaja Bazar in the downtown with barbed wire. Roadblocks were also erected at many places.
People living in Khawaja Bazar and adjacent areas alleged that security forces did not allow them to even purchase milk or bread this morning. Vegetable venders, who were coming from the outskirts, were also directed to go back, they alleged.
Security forces have closed the main gate of graveyard and a bullet proof vehicle had been parked to prevent people from entering the shrine area, where the graveyard is located.
