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WATCH: J&K CM Omar Abdullah Jumps Over Wall Of Mazar-e-Shuhada; Alleges House Arrest On Martyrs' Day

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14th July, 2025 14:04 IST

Srinagar: A video of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah jumping over the boundary wall of Mazar-e-Shuhada recently surfaced online, drawing criticism from the opposition leaders.

Abdullah was allegedly stopped by security forces from entering the graveyard to offer his prayers on Martyrs' Day on Sunday, July 13. In the now-viral clip, the Chief Minister could be seen scaling the wall of the iconic Martyrs' graveyard in Srinagar's Nowhatta.

Addressing the media after offering Fatiha, he said that he came unannounced to avoid being stopped again, after being "locked up" at home on Saturday. "They tried to stop us again today. But we foiled their attempts," he added.

Have a look at the clip here:

"We Are Not Slaves"

Abdullah also condemned the restrictions adding, "It is unfortunate that by the orders of those who claim their responsibility is to maintain law and order, we were not allowed to recite the Fatiha yesterday. Everyone was house-arrested since morning.”

He further said that as soon as he informed the control room of his intent to visit the Mazar, police bunkers were set up outside his house.

He also questioned the legality of being stopped. “They say that this is a free country, but they think that we are their slaves. We are nobody's slaves. We are only the slaves of the people here,” he said.

Abdullah added that even attempts were made to tear their party flag during the visit.

"Was Subjected to Physical Torture"

Sharing a video of the police manhandling him, Abdullah wrote on X (formerly twitter), "This is the physical grappling I was subjected to but I am made of sterner stuff & was not to be stopped. I was doing nothing unlawful or illegal. In fact these 'protectors of the law' need to explain under what law they were trying to stop us from offering Fatiha."

In a separate tweet posted on Sunday, he alleged that he was placed under house arrest as soon as he returned to Srinagar from New Delhi. Sharing photos of police presence outside his home, he wrote on X, “The unelected government locked up the elected government.” Quoting the late Arun Jaitley, he said, “Democracy in J&K is a tyranny of the unelected.”

The Srinagar district magistrate had rejected the National Conference’s plea to hold a tribute at the Mazar, and police issued a public advisory barring all such gatherings on July 13.

What Is Kashmir's Martyrs' Day?

July 13 marks a pivotal moment in Kashmir's history, commemorating the killing of 22 Kashmiri Muslims by the Dogra regime in 1931. The victims were protesting the trial of Abdul Qadeer Khan, who had delivered a fiery speech against the rulers. When thousands gathered outside Srinagar Central Jail, where the hearing had shifted, police opened fire on the unarmed crowd, killing 22 people. Many believe the firing began when a protestor stood to give the noon Azaan.

The slain were buried at the Naqshband Sahib shrine in Srinagar, which came to be known as the Martyrs’ Graveyard. Declared Martyrs’ Day by Sheikh Abdullah, Omar Abdullah’s grandfather, the day was officially observed in Jammu and Kashmir until the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. It was one of the few occasions historically acknowledged by both mainstream and separatist groups, until the holiday was scrapped and replaced with Maharaja Hari Singh’s birth anniversary in 2022.

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