Pulwama: Hundreds participate in militant’s funeral

Srinagar: Amid a spontaneous shutdown, hundreds of people Wednesday participated in the funeral prayers for a Hizbul Mujahideen militant who was slain in a gun-battle with Army in Awantipora area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Tuesday night. All shops and commercial establishments in Beighpora, Malangpora, Digripora, Gulzarpora and other areas of Awantipora observed a shutdown when the word about the killing of Waseem Ahmad Dar spread, reports said.
Chanting pro-freedom and anti-India slogans, hundreds of people came out on roads and staged protests against the killing of Waseem, a member of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit. The protesters carried the body of slain militant in a procession to the martyrs’ graveyard Dagripora. The district President of Syed Ali Geelani-led Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Andrabi led the funeral prayers.
Paying tributes to the slain militant, Geelani in his telephonic address told the mourners that the “sacrifices of the youth have always given a fresh lease of life to the ongoing freedom struggle.” He asked the mourners to safeguard the sacrifices of the youth like Waseem by remaining committed to the movement.
“The people of Kashmir are striving to take the ongoing freedom struggle to its logical end. This, despite the arbitrary measures adopted by India to muzzle our voice,” Geelani said.
Talking to reporters, Waseem’s father Mohammad Yusuf Dar said this son went missing in March 2012 when was studying at the government higher secondary school, Panzgam. He said that he came to know that his son had joined militant ranks through army and police who raided his house frequently.
“My son was a very intelligent student and a pious Muslim. He passed his Class 12 examinations with flying colours,” Dar added.
Meanwhile, a police spokesman said that Waseem was killed when he opened fire at a search team of police and army in Beighpora village of Awantipora on Tuesday night.
“One AK 56 rifle, four magazines, 60 rounds, one pouch, one Chinese grenade, and one belt were recovered from his possession,” the spokesman added.

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