Thousands of people have gathered at six funerals that are being held in villages of Shopian and Pulwama on Wednesday.
Reports from south said that people in hoards have assembled in Draggad and Shirmal villages of Shopian district to offer funeral prayers of militants killed in Shirmal gunfight on Tuesday. The killed militants include IPS officer’s brother Shamsul Haq, Amir Suhail and Shoiab.
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Similar gathering are being witnessed at Lassipora and Nopora Payeen villages of Pulwama district at the funeral prayers of Syed Rubaan, Sabzar Ahmad and Towseef Itoo who were killed in a gunfight on Monday at Hapatnar village of Budgam district.
Reports said that multiple funeral prayers were being offered to the slain to accommodate the rush of people.
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Meanwhile, Hurriyat (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani addressed the mourners at Shamsul Haq’s funeral. Haq’s brother Inam ul Haq is an IPS officer posted in northeast India.
The twin districts are also observing a complete shutdown to protest and mourn the killings of six militants. Reports said that all the shops and business establishments are shut in the twin districts and traffic is mostly off the roads.
Recently, it was reported that Armed forces in Kashmir are looking to check the size of gatherings at militant funerals to choke their potential as recruiting grounds.
Recently, restrictions were placed to prevent people from participating in the funeral of Al-Badr militant Zeenat-ul-Islam. However, clashes erupted in which 11 civilians were injured.
Eyewitnesses told Free Press Kashmir that the forces had sealed all roads leading to Sugan village to limit the number of people participating in the funeral of Islam.
However, mourners continued to reach the village after making their way through bylines, and crossing checkpoints though orchards and agricultural fields.
Islam was killed in a gunfight with armed forces in Katpora village of Yaripora in Kashmir’s Kulgam district.
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti had said that stopping the crowd to participate in the funeral prayer of a local militant was an interference in the religious affairs that would lead to further anger and alienation.
Calling the use of force on mourners during the funeral procession of Zeenat as “un-Islamic and undemocratic”, Hurriyat (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq had said the ‘forces action’ was ‘contrary to the human values.’
