Srinagar, April 7 (IANS) Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference (NC) President Farooq Abdullah on Sunday alleged that the Central government knew about the Pulwama terror attack, but allowed it to happen so that Narendra Modi could win elections.

"It is their (Centre's) mistake. They knew that the attack was going to happen. Where did the explosives come from? Modi had to win the elections, so he did this 'karnama' (misadventure)," said Abdullah, who on Sunday led an NC sit-in against the ban on civilian traffic on Jammu-Srinagar national highway.

"We are being pushed for no fault of ours. Are we living in a free country or is this a colony? They have imprisoned us. They must lift this ban before there is more bloodshed in Kashmir," Abdullah warned the authorities.

The state government has banned civilian and public transport on Jammu-Srinagar highway on Sundays and Wednesdays to ensure safe passage to convoys of security forces in the aftermath of the February 14 Pulwama terror attack which killed 40 CRPF troopers.