Mirwaiz put under house arrest, Eidgah sealed to prevent martyrs’ commemoration
Srinagar : In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, in a fresh act of repression, Indian authorities placed senior APHC leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq under house arrest late last evening to prevent him from leading Fatiha Khwani at the Martyrs’ Graveyard in Eidgah, Srinagar.
According to Kashmir Media Service, strict restrictions have also been imposed on access to Mazare Shuhada Eidgah since yesterday, with heavy deployment of police and paramilitary forces around the historic graveyard.
The move comes ahead of the important religious commemoration of the martyrdom anniversaries of prominent Hurriyat leaders Mirwaiz Molvi Muhammad Farooq and Khawaja Abdul Ghani Lone in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Mirwaiz Farooq was assassinated by unidentified gunmen at his residence in Srinagar on May 21, 1990. On the same day, Indian troops opened indiscriminate fire on his funeral procession in the Hawal area of Srinagar, killing over 70 mourners. On this day, people gather at the Martyrs’ Graveyard to offer prayers and tributes to thousands of Kashmiris who have laid down their lives in the ongoing freedom struggle.
Eyewitnesses said authorities sealed off all routes leading to Eidgah to stop people from paying tribute to the martyrs. The restrictions have caused widespread resentment among locals who view the action as yet another attempt to suppress religious freedoms and collective mourning in occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who also serves as the President of Anjuman Nusrat-ul-Islam and a key APHC leader, has been repeatedly subjected to house arrest and travel restrictions by Indian forces, particularly before major events, prayers, or protests.
Analysts say such measures reflect the deep insecurity of the Indian occupation apparatus, which fears any large gathering of Kashmiris even for purely religious and commemorative purposes. By targeting the Mirwaiz and restricting access to the Martyrs’ Graveyard, the administration is once again exposing its policy of suppressing Kashmiri sentiment and religious expression.
The people of Kashmir have strongly condemned the house arrest and restrictions, terming them undemocratic and against basic religious rights.
