Thousands of people Thursday participated in the last rites of three Lashkar militants killed in an encounter at Binner village of Baramulla district on Wednesday.
The slain top LeT commander Suhaib Farooq Akhoon of Khanpora Baramulla was laid to rest at martyrs’ graveyard at Khanpora. And, the slain militants Mohsin Mushtaq and Nasir Ahmad Darzi of old town Baramulla were laid to rest at Qadeem Eidgah of old town Baramulla.
In the old town Baramulla, thousands of people braving adverse weather conditions gathered at slain Mohsin Mushtaq’s and Nasir Dazi’s residence since early morning on Thursday.
Later, amid pro-freedom slogans, the locals carried the bodies of both the militants on their shoulders and marched through different areas of the town. The two militants were laid to rest at Qadeem Eidgah Baramulla.
Mushtaq Ahmad, father of slain militant Mohsin Mushtaq, led the funeral prayer of both the militants.
While addressing the mourners, he said that his son along with two others “received martyrdom and did not compromise with their goal.”
He said, “Martyrdom is what they strived for. Despite hard conditions the trio did not give up. They sacrificed their lives for our better tomorrow.”
In Khanpora area of Baramulla Town, the native place of militant commander, Suhaib Ahmad Akhoon, thousands of people including large number of women participated in the funeral procession of the slain militant.
The protesters raised pro-Lashkar and pro-freedom slogans.
The funeral prayers of the slain militant were offered in the premises of Syed Janbaz Wali shrine.
The mourners in thousands later marched through the area raising pro-freedom and pro Lashkar slogans.
The body of the slain militant was laid to rest at the local martyrs’ graveyard.
Due the “strict restrictions” imposed by the authorities to limit the funeral gatherings, scores of people on Thursday said they could not participate in the funeral of slain militants.
“I have seen Suhaib growing. I came straight from Sopore to participate in his funeral, however, police and paramilitary forces did not allow me to move beyond Devi Mandir at Khanpora Baramulla,” said Shabir Ahmad, a local resident.
Meanwhile, a complete shutdown was observed in Baramulla town and its adjoining areas.
The authorities earlier closed all the routes leading to Khanpora and old town Baramulla by placing barbed wires on all the bridges connecting old town with the civil line area. Even the journalists were barred to cover the funeral event of the slain militants.
Many journalists said they were barred from covering the funeral of slain militants on Thursday. “We were forced to return back after police stopped us both at Khanpora and cement bridge,” said a Srinagar-based Journalist.