- Thousands attend funerals of slain militants
- Militants appear attend funerals, offer gun salutes to colleagues
- LeT Says ‘Doval’s plot biting the dust’, UJC tributes slain militants
Srinagar: Life was disrupted due to separatist-sponsored shutdown and restrictions imposed by the authorities across Kashmir valley on Saturday. Srinagar District Magistrate Farooq Ahmad Lone said restrictions were imposed in the areas of Rainawari, Khanyar, Nowhatta, M.R. Gunj and Safa Kadal to maintain law and order. Heavy contingents of police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were also deployed. Train services between Baramulla and Bannihal towns were suspended. Exams scheduled for Saturday were postponed by Kashmir University. Shops, public transport and educational institutions remained closed.
The shutdown was called to protest the killings of three militants and as many civilians. Meanwhile Lashkar-e-Toiba has said that ‘the plot of National Security Advisor Ajit Dovel is biting the dust’ and United Jehad Council has tribute the slain militants
Top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander, Junaid Mattoo and his two associates were killed in a gunfight with forces in Anantnag district.
Two civilian protesters- a 22-year old youth, a 14-year old boy-were killed in firing by the forces where protesters tried to break the cordon around the gunfight site. Over two dozen other protesters were injured in the protests
Meanwhile, Police on Saturday claimed to have recovered three bodies of militants killed in an encounter with government forces in Arwani village of Bijbehara in Anantnag district.
A spokesman said that three Lashkar-e-Toiba militants, including its District Commander Junaid Mattoo, were killed in the firefight on Friday. Mattoo was a resident of Redwani village.
The other two slain militants were identified as Nasir Wani of Heff village of Shopian and Adil Mushtaq Mir of Frestbal Pampore.
“Acting on a specific information, police alongwith 1 RR and 90 Bn CRPF launched an operation in Makro Mohalla of Arwani Bijbehara. During the operation , militants present in the area fired upon the search parties with automatic weapons. The fire was retaliated, and an encounter started,” said the spokesman.
The bodies of militants were handed over to respective families while reports said that thousands of mourners participated in their separate funeral processions.
Thousands of people participated in the funeral prayers of slain Lashkar-e-Toiba militant Adil Mushtaq Mir in Frestbal area of Pampore in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district. The funeral prayers were held at a local ground where mourners braving heat and fasting continued to pour in from various parts of south Kashmir.
At least five militants appeared in the funeral, which was attended by thousands of people, and offered a gun-salute.
Tens of thousands of people on Saturday participated in the funeral prayers of slain Lashkar-e-Toiba commander Junaid Mattoo in Khudwani village of Qaimoh tehsil of Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir.
At least four funerals were held for Mattoo at a local Eidgah as mourners continued to pour in from various parts of south Kashmir.
Thousands of mourners also participated in the last rites of third militant Naseer Ahmed Malik at Hefshermal Shopain. The mourners chanted massive pro-freedom slogans.
Meanwhile militant outfit, Lashkar-e-Taiba has appreciated the people for their utterly loving support to “martyrs” and “mujahideen”. “The blood of our Martyrs will not go unpaid. India must pay for its crimes on humanity,” Mahmood Shah, the LeT chief said and paid tribute to the families who sacrificed their young in the path of freedom.
“We are the heir to the blood of our martyrs and we shall never leave India unpaid for its crimes. The alliance between the nation and Mujahideen is what keeping India to its knees. The plots put up by Ajit Doval are biting the dust. India and its forces are well exposed for the whole world to see,” Shah said.
In a statement to local news gathering agency CNS, Mahmood Shah appreciated the efforts put up by Mujahideen attacking Police Force. He further appreciated the Mujahideen who joined the funeral prayers of martyrs and conveyed India a jaw-breaking response.
“Each and every Kashmiri is united for our struggle to freedom. And it is the same alliance which shall pave the way to the fall of India. The time is near when the whole Kashmiri nation will celebrate their freedom. We must never be disappointed on the loss of any kind, for it is the blessings which should be accounted,” he said.
United Jihad Council (UJC) has also paid tributes to the three militants and three civilians who were killed during an encounter in Arwani area of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district and in Rangreth clashes.
In an e-mailed statement issued to local news gathering agency KNS, the UJC spokesman, Syed Sadaqat Hussain while quoting the outfit chief, Syed Salah-ud-din as saying, “the sacrifices rendered by the three militants including Junaid Matoo, Aadil Mushtaq Mir and Naseer Ahmad Wani and three civilians including Muhammad Ashraf, Ahsan Dar and Naseer Ahmad Sheikh of Bandipora won’t go waste.”
“The people of Kashmir without caring about their lives are fighting against India. India must read the writing on the wall,” he said while addressing a high level meeting of United Jihad Council.
He appealed International community to “press India that they won’t achieve anything by the human rights violation in Kashmir and it can dangerous not only for India but for the whole world as well.”
UJC chief also lauded people for showing their affection towards the militants and said, “The fight against India would continue till any logical conclusion.”
