Kupwara/ Dec,17: Thousands of people on Sunday took part in the last rites of a driver killed in alleged army firing in frontier district of Kupwara.
The driver, identified as Asif Iqbal of Thandipora village, was laid to rest amid sobs and tears as thousands turned up for his funeral in his native village.
Locals and family members of Iqbal said that he was killed last night after he came out of his house to take a patient to hospital.
SSP Kupwara, Shamsher Hussain said that they have lodged an FIR into the killings. “Nobody is above law. A magisterial inquiry will be ordered into the killing,”he told reporters.
According to GNS news agency, thousands of people were waiting for the body of the deceased at Batpora. The mourners were shouting pro-freedom and pro-Islam slogans as they marched towards the native village of Iqbal.
At Batapora, independent MLA Engineer Rashid also joined the mourners. He was detained by police and taken to Kralpora police station.
The mourners were intercepted by police, triggering clashes. Police used teargas shells to disperse the mourners. In the clashes, a police officer sustained minor stone injury.
Women were screaming and wailing during the funeral. The slain was laid to rest amid sobs and tears in local graveyard.
Meanwhile, a spontaneous shutdown is being observed in Kralpora area and the adjoining areas.
