Srinagar: After the Friday congregational prayers, clashes erupted in various parts of Kupwara district including Tekkipora, the hometown of slain Hizb commander Mannan Wani.
Reports said that youth took to streets in Sogam, Tekkipora, Kupwara main market and Regipora areas of the district to protest the killing of Wani and his aide in a gunfight on Thursday.
They said that the forces deployed in strength in the area fired tear gas shells to foil the protests.
Meanwhile, the valley is observing a complete shutdown to pay homage to Wani.
Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik has called for a shutdown on Friday. Moreover, Friday prayers were not allowed in Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid.
Meanwhile, three Kashmiri students have been suspended by the Aligarh Muslim University for offering funeral prayers in absentia for scholar-turned-miliatant Mannan Wani, reported the Times of India.
Earlier, Mehbooba Mufti, the former Chief Minister of the state said that Mannan’s death was ‘entirely our loss’.
“Today a PhD scholar chose death over life & was killed in an encounter. His death is entirely our loss as we are losing young educated boys everyday,” she tweeted.
Independent Lawmaker Engineer Rashid, in a statement said that by killing Wani, New Delhi has ‘surrendered’ in front of his arguments.
“New Delhi responded to Manan Wani’s thought provoking write ups with eliminating him through bullets and has thus surrendered to his valuable arguments. No matter Manan was holding a gun in his hands, but his powerful pen has been silenced by the bullets, however it may take long for the deep state to defeat his arguments,” Rashid said.
IAS Officer Shah Faesal had said that he was saddened to hear about the death of Mannan Wani and he shares the grief of his parents.
In a Facebook post, Faesal said that Mannan showed immense promise as an educated, young leader.
