Srinagar, July 14: A defiant Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday scaled the gates of the Naqshband Sahib graveyard to pay tributes to the 22 people killed by the Dogra army on July 13, 1931.

The dramatic scene unfolded a day after Abdullah and several leaders of the National Conference and opposition parties were put under house arrest to prevent them from going to the graveyard to mark Martyrs’ Day.

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah took an autorickshaw from the Khanyar crossing to the martyrs memorial while Minister for Education Sakina Ittoo surprised everyone by riding pillion on a scooty to the memorial.

Security forces had sealed the roads leading to the martyrs graveyard from both Khanyar and Nowhatta sides in downtown Srinagar.

As soon as Omar Abdullah’s cavalcade reached Khanyar in the old city, he got off his vehicle and walked more than a kilometre to reach the graveyard only to find the gates locked by the authorities.

The chief minister then climbed over the main gate and entered the graveyard premises to offer ‘fateha’.

His security men and several other National Conference leaders also climbed over before the gate was finally thrown open.

Lashing out at Lt Governor Manoj Sinha and the police for trying to stop him and his entourage from entering the martyrs’ graveyard, Omar Abdullah told reporters, “It is sad that on the instructions of the people who claim that their responsibility is the security and law and order, we were not allowed to offer ‘fateha’ here. We were kept in house arrest (on Sunday).”

“See their brazenness, they tried to stop us today as well. They also tried to manhandle us. Police sometimes forget the law. Why was I stopped today, when the restriction was for yesterday?” added the furious chief minister.

For all purposes, this is a free country, he went on to say.

“But they think of us as their slaves. We are not. We are servants, but of the people. I don’t understand why they destroy the law while in uniform,” he said.

Omar Abdullah said he and his party leaders foiled the police’s attempts to catch them.

“They tried to catch us, they tried to tear apart our flag but all of it went in vain. We came here and offered ‘fateha’. They think the martyrs’ graves are here only on July 13, but they are here all year round.”

How long could the L-G administration stop them from paying tributes to martyrs. If not on July 13, it could be July 12 or 14 of December, January or February, he asked.

“We will come here whenever we feel like,” Omar Abdullah asserted.

He also put out a post on X, reiterating his determination that he would not be stopped today.

“…The unelected government tried to block my way forcing me to walk from Nawhatta chowk. They blocked the gate to Naqshband Sb shrine forcing me to scale a wall. They tried to physically grapple me but I was not going to be stopped today,” he said.

July 13 is commemorated as ‘Martyrs Day’ in Jammu and Kashmir as a tribute to 22 people killed by the Dogra army outside Srinagar’s central jail in 1931. The L-G administration had dropped the day from the list of gazetted holidays in 2020.

Bandipora, July 14: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Monday arrested a postal employee in Bandipora after he was caught red-handed while accepting a bribe of ₹6,500.

An official said that an ACB team conducted a trap at the Post Office Bandipora, during which Mudasir Ahmad Najar, a resident of Rohama, Baramulla, presently posted as a Postal Assistant, was apprehended while accepting the bribe.

“The accused was caught red-handed and taken into custody immediately on the spot,” the official said, adding that necessary legal formalities were completed.

The ACB is continuing its crackdown on corruption in public institutions, and further investigation into the matter is underway. (JKNS)

Kupwara, Jul 13: A decayed tree on highway near Government Degree College (GDC) Handwara poses a serious threat to commuters, despite written complaints and repeated pleas from locals to the concerned authorities for its removal.

The locals of the area told Greater Kashmir that few days back, two vehicles had a narrow escape as a large branch from the decayed tree fell onto the road. Eyewitnesses described the incident as a close shave and showed deep concern over the inaction of concerned officials.

“The popular tree on roadside is clearly in a damaged condition. We have made a written plea to revenue department multiple times, but they seem to be waiting for a tragedy to occur,” a local resident told Greater Kashmir.

“The area witnesses regular traffic, especially during college hours, and the presence of this decayed and old tree may invite a tragedy if not removed immediately”, he added.

Meanwhile, Additional Deputy Commissioner Handwara (ADC) Javed Masoodi told Greater Kashmir that let the locals approach him on Monday, he will make sure that the tree is removed so that any possible eventuality may be thwarted.

Ganderbal, July 14: People in Safapora area including the family members of a woman, (name withheld) who alleged that she was murdered, staged a protest demonstration on Monday and demanded stern action against the accused and urged the Police to speed up the investigation into the case.

Ramban, Jul 13: Srinagar-Jammu National Highway remained open with cut off timings fixed by the authorities for two-way traffic of  Shri Amarnath Yatra, passenger light medium vehicles and one-way traffic of heavy vehicles for Jammu on Sunday.

However, traffic authorities said traffic movement remained slow due to breakdown of four heavy vehicles and due to single lane road stretches at Nashri – Dalwass and between Maroog Kishtwari Pather sector between Nashri and Banihal.

Traffic authorities monitoring the regulation in Ramban said that despite slow traffic movement hundreds of passengers light medium and heavy vehicles plied towards their respective destinations till late this evening.

They said that light medium and heavy motor vehicles crossed the Nashri and Banihal tunnels although at a slow pace. Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir traffic department issued a fresh advisory for Monday stating that subject to fair weather and better road conditions  Shri Amarnath ji Yatra (SANJY) convoy/LMVs, Passenger/Private Cars shall be allowed from both sides on Jammu-Srinagar Jammu Srinagar NH-44 and vice-versa.

They said in view of Shri AmarNath  Ji Yatra Srinagar, light medium passenger vehicles would be released from 6am to 12 pm, from Nagrota (Jammu) towards Srinagar and from Jakheni (Udhampur) towards Srinagar from 7am to 1pm.  Similarly the cut off timings for Jammu bound vehicles from Qazigund, Kashmir has been fixed from 11:30 am to 2pm.