Srinagar, July 12 -- Ahead of Martyrs' Day on July 13, Hurriyat Conference chairman and chief cleric of Jamia Masjid Mirwaiz Molvi Umar Farooq was put under house arrest and wasn't allowed to lead Friday prayers at city's grand Jamia Masjid.

Farooq asked the government to remove restrictions on him so that he can pay homage to July 13 martyrs.

"Disallowed to go to Jama Masjid today, put under house arrest, fearing the mention of the martyrs of 13th July 1931 in my Friday sermon! The sacrifice of these martyrs and all the martyrs since, is etched in the collective memory of Kashmir and cannot not be undone by restrictions and bans. No living nation can forget the supreme sacrifice of life of its martyrs against tyranny and injustice," Fa...