Srinagar, July 14 -- On July 13, Martyrs' Day, the lieutenant governor's (LG) administration Monday imposed restrictions in several parts of Srinagar to prevent people from assembling at the martyrs' graveyard in Naqshband Sahib area of the city. Several political leaders, especially from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Awami Ittehaad Party (AIP), alleged that they had been placed under house arrest. July 13 was observed as Martyrs' Day in the erstwhile state of J&K in memory of 21 Kashmiris who were killed by the army of Dogra ruler Hari Singh during an uprising in 1931 when the region was a princely state. Before 2019, Kashmir would observe a shutdown every year on the day in memory of the martyrs. Education minister Sakina Itoo posted on social media a video of herself trying to reach the graveyard at 4.30 am to pay tributes to the fallen men, but claimed she was stopped by security forces. "I tried to visit the Mazar-e-Shuhada at 4.30 am to pay tributes to our martyrs of July 13. However, due to the heavy deployment of security forces and extensive barbed-wire barricading around the graves, I was prevented from entering. I was accompanied by the Provincial President of the JKNC Women's Wing @sabiya_qadri Ji. Physical barriers cannot prevent us from honouring the supreme sacrifices of our martyrs," Itoo wrote on X. The ruling National Conference (NC) and the PDP paid homage to the martyrs at their respective party headquarters. J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah and National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah also attended theNC program. Omar said those who prevented them fromgoing to the martyrs' graveyard should have read the history of J&K. "Those people laid down their lives fighting for democracy and against British and autocratic rule. Those who took the decision to close down Mazar-e-Shuhada should have gone through the history of J&K. They could have easily understood how they ignored the sacrifices of people who laid down their lives fighting British rule, at a time when Kashmir was a princely state under the paramountcy of the British," he said, adding that their sacrifices were now being given a religious colour. Mehbooba Mufti, after paying tributes, blamed the BJP leadership for giving a communal colour to the sacrifices of the martyrs. The AIP also alleged that its senior leadership was prevented from visiting the martyrs' graveyard. AIP leaders, including Langate MLA Sheikh Khursheed, chief spokesperson Inam Un Nabi and several other party functionaries were stopped by police at Bishambar Nagar, while proceeding towards the martyrs' graveyard. The party further claimed that several senior leaders had been placed under house arrest to prevent them from participating in the commemorative visit. Meanwhile, Member of Parliament from Baramulla, Er Rashid, who is lodged in Tihar Jail, observed a hunger strike to honour the martyrs of July 13....