Srinagar, Aug 14: It took two days for Mudasir Ahmad Zargar, killed by CRPF troopers at Trehgam Friday morning, to complete his last journey of a few metres from his house to the martyrs graveyard. Sixteen-year old Mudasir was buried on Saturday afternoon as police stopped his burial thrice since yesterday citing imposition of curfew.
“We went to perform his burial Friday morning after he was killed, but police did not allow us. We proceed towards Jamia Masjid for performing Nimaz-i-Jinazah and subsequent burial. As we emerged on the main road, police resorted to indiscriminate firing wounding several civilians,” said his relative Nazir Ahmed. On Friday afternoon, hundreds of people marched towards main chowk carrying the body on shoulders for performing the last rites, but forces resorted to force on the mourners.
“A police officer told us that only four persons can bury the body, but we refused. They tried to snatch the body but we resisted their attempts,” he said. “Then we went forfuneral late evening but police roughed us and warned of dire consequences if we buried him and even prevented us from digging the grave,” he says.
This afternoon, he said,Mudasir was laid to rest in the martyrs graveyard by thousands of people amid tearful eyes after policemen and CRPF retreated from roads.
Mudasir and his family comprising of his mother Hameeda and brother Jehangir could never find an easy life. He was three months old when his father Ghulam Hassan crossed the LOC for arms training, but settled down there, the family says.
“The responsibility fell on our mother. She would eke out livelihood by doing menial jobs in the neighbours’ houses,” says Jehangir, brother of the deceased.
“I too left studies after 12th class and would do petty jobs to finance studies of my brother in the hope of better future. Our world has been shattered by his killing,” he says.
Mudasir, according to eyewitnesses, was killed by CRPF troopers after heated argument between youth and troopers on the thrashing of a Muazzin (one who calls for prayers) by the troopers.
“The youth were angered over the Muazzin’s thrashing. As there was heated exchange, the CRPF troopers shot him from point blank range, killing him on the spot,” said an eyewitness.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 14 Aug 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 14 Aug 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 15 Aug 2010 00:00:00 IST