Dozens of militants offer gun salute to their associate in South Kashmir’s Shopian

Srinagar: Panic created in Chillipora village of South Kashmir’s Shopian district on Wednesday when over 20 armed militants emerged at the grave yard of recently killed Al-Badar militant Shakeel Ahmed Dar and offered gun salute to him.
Shakeel along with top militant commander Zeenat-ul-Islam was killed in a gun battle at Khatpora area of South Kashmir’s kulgam district on January 12 this month.
Quoting witnesses local news gathering agency CNS reported that a large number of mourners visited the houses of Zeenat-ul-Islam at Sugan and Shakeel Ahmed Dar at Chillipora on their ‘chahrum’ to express sympathies with the bereaved families.
Witnesses added that over 20 armed militants appeared at the graveyard of Shakeel Ahmed Dar and fired dozens of rounds in air. The gun shots created panic in the area while some took it as an encounter. It however, didn’t take long for people to understand the real story.
A police official feigned ignorance when asked about the emergence of over 20 militants in the village.
Meanwhile, a complete shutdown was observed on the 4th consecutive day in Shopian district to mourn the killing of Zeenat-ul-Islam and Shakeel Ahmed Dar.
Reports from the area said all shops, business establishments, and private offices in the district remained shut while public and private transport also remained off the roads.
Reports added that heavy contingents of government forces were deployed at sensitive locations in the district to maintain law and order, while the mobile Internet service in the district remained suspended for the 4th consecutive day.