Arif Ahmad Mir, one of the five militants killed in an encounter in KilloraShopian on Saturday, was the first in the past 14 years from Pahalgam area of Anantnag district to have joined militancy. His militant life lasted only a week.
Hailing from Yannar, a village located 17 kilometers ahead of Pahalgam, Arif was a student of class 10 at the Government Higher Secondary School, Kular.
Pahalgam has remained relatively calm, and post 2010 when militancy shifted its base from northern to southern Kashmir, no one from this area took up arms.
“It was probably in 2005 that militancy which peaked in Dachnipora belt of this area along with Bijbehara ended,” a source said.
GhulamNabi Khan alias Aamir Khan alias Saifullah Khalid, from Levar village of Dachnipora, was HizbulMujahideen’s operational chief in the Valley before crossing over to Pakistan two decades ago.
He is currently deputy chief of the outfit.
When a picture in which Arif holds a gun went viral on social media on July 28, it left the family and locals surprised.
They believe that killing of Arif’s childhood friend and school mate by government forces during 2016 summer uprising might have prompted him to take up arms.
“His friend Safeer Ahmad Bhat of nearby Chwarigam village was drowned to death in Lidder stream by the forces near Ganishpora. He saw his friend dying and since then he remained disturbed,” said a close relative of his, MuhamadYousuf.
PROTESTS AND FUNERAL
Meanwhile, as the word about the killing of Arif spread people came out and started protesting.
They also clashed with forces who in turn lobbed tear shells and pellets.
More than 30 people were injured and shifted to primary health centres in Sallar, Seer and Srigufwara for treatment
“We received twenty pellet injuries and one with fracture in leg,” a doctor at PHC Sallar told Greater Kashmir.
Six of the injured were received at PHC Sriugufwara and four at Seer.
A health official in district hospital Anantnag said that they received two civilians, both with metal pellets in left eyes.
“They were referred to Srinagar hospital,” he said.
Several policemen, including police officers, were also injured in the clashes.
SSP AnatnagAltaf Ahmad Khan, SDPO Pahalgam Tariq Ahmad Khan and SHO PahalgamShabir Ahmad were among the injured.
People alleged the forces beat up the attendants accompanying the injured and did not allow them to ferry them to hospitals.
A spontaneous shutdown was observed in the area.
Thousands later participated in the funeral procession of Arif amid pro-freedom slogans.
The authorities have shut the internet services in the district.
ANANTNAG SHUTS ON MAIDEN ANNIVERSARY OF LOCAL HIZB MILITANT
A shutdown was observed in Anantnag town to mourn the killing of a Hizb militant on this day last year.
The call for shutdown was given by Umati-I-Islami chairman Qazi Ahmad Yasir.
Yawar Ahmad (21) of Sherpora locality of the old town was killed in a gunfight on this day last year in Kanelwan village of Bijbehara area,
Ahmad had been active for only 17 days.
Shops remained closed in the town today while thin movement of traffic was witnessed in old town as well as KP road areas.