Srinagar: A sea of mourners offered more than 50 back to back funeral prayers for teenage rebel Burhan Mazaffar Wani in his native Tral town on Saturday.
Eyewitnesses said that massive outpouring of grief with people jostling to have a last glimpse of slain commander was unprecedented and Eidgah was brimming with people.
Burhan, 21 was laid to rest around 3 PM.
Reports said that many mourners could not offer prayers as there was no space left in the Eidgah grounds. While men offered prayers female folk mourned the death outside the Eidgah in typical Kashmir fashion. While massive funeral was held despite curfew, reports said thousands could not make it as they were stopped by forces at different checkpoints, said a mourner.
An elderly person Abdul Satar Dar said last time it was Sheikh Abdullahs funeral procession when he watched so many people. This time the situation is different. If there would have been no curfew or restrictions and people would have been allowed to freely participate in the funeral prayers, I am sure whole Kashmir would have converged here, Dar said.
Everything was managed by volunteers. We didnt face any hardship. We were offered food including fruit, biscuits, traditional tehri by people at different places while there were volunteers everywhere, he said.
As the funeral prayers were being offered, two choppers were hovering over Tral skies. Patriotic songs were reverberating from Masjids while youth were raising pro-freedom slogans.
Addressing the mourners, Muzaffar Ahmed Wani, father of Burhan appealed people not to damage public property. You can mourn the death of my son Burhan but dont cause damage to public property. It is our own property and we should not harm it, he said. Wani added that he has no regrets over the death of his son. I knew the fate and I knew it well that Burhan will attain martyrdom, but I am pained that my another son Khalid who was innocent was killed in cold blood by Indian Army, he said.
Witnesses said that about a dozen militants appeared at intervals in Eidgah to join the funeral procession.
The armed militants appeared at the funeral venue to pay homage to their slain commander. It was reminiscent of 90s with people jostling to have a glimpse of militants.
Comrades Give 21-Gun Salute to Fallen Commander
At least three militants appeared during the funeral procession of slain militant commander Burhan Wani.
Reports reaching here said that the militant trio made public appearance around 11 AM when thousands of people were waiting for the Nimaz-i-Jinazah.
Off late, militants have been making appearances at the funeral prayers of their associates whenever their colleagues died in encounters. They even gave 21-gun salute. In honour of their associates, the militants fire bullets in air as is case in formal wreath laying ceremonies of formal armed forces across globe.
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