Kashmir Martyrs' Day

[1] GM Lone writes in Kashmir Life that four incidents occurring in quick succession resulted in the tragedy of 13 July:[8] In the first case, a businessman in Udhampur had converted to Islam.

Following an outburst by Mir Hussain Bakhsh related to excessive interference in religious matters by the King, a protest was held at the main masjid in the city.

[8] In the third case, on 4 June in the Central Jail Jammu, police constable Fazal Dad Khan's copy of Panjsurah (five chapters from the Quran) was thrown away in "recklessness" by a sub-inspector.

[8] The fourth incident took place in Srinagar on 20 June 1931 when leaves of the Quran were found in a public lavatory.

[8] In his work "Inside Kashmir" date 1941, Prem Nath Bazaz writes, "The driving force behind the mass agitation till the 13th July was the discontent among the rank and file of the Muslims.

[8] Abdul Qadeer Khan was an employee of an English army officer, Major Butt of the Yorkshire Regiment posted at Peshawar, who was taking a vacation in Kashmir.

[9] He had been attending the protest meetings and at Khanqah-i-Maula, on 21 June 1931, he was unable to suppress his feelings, which resulted in his impromptu address to the crowd.

You must rely up on your own strength and wage a relentless war against oppression"; pointing his finger towards the palace he shouted, : "raze it to the ground".

He was charged with "sedition" and "wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot" under the Ranbir Penal Code.

As the call to prayer began, Governor Raizada Trilok Chand ordered the armed police to open fire.

[8] According to the evidence officially placed before the Dalal Inquiry Commission (Srinagar Riot Enquiry Committee),[14] 180 rounds were fired.

Finding that there was no possibility of ingress, the crowd went out and started stoning officials and set fire to the police lines.

[15] Prem Nath Bazaz wrote "Historically and politically, 13th July 1931 was the most important day in the annals of contemporary Kashmir.

[3] The aftermath of 13 July resulted in Maharaja Hari Singh appointing a commission to look into Muslim grievances chaired by B J Glancy.