Quiet Burial for Syed Ali Geelani at Hyderpora

*The grave site of Syed Ali Shah Geelani at Jamia Masjid Hyderpora Cemetery | Photo by Khalid Khan*

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Srinagar- Veteran Kashmiri leader and iconic figure in the separatist political camp Syed Ali Shah Geelani was buried at a local graveyard near his Hyderpora home in Srinagar in the wee hours on Thursday in a quiet funeral organised by authorities, amid tight security and restrictions with internet services by and large snapped in Kashmir.

Eyewitnesses said that the burial was completed by 4:45 AM on Thursday in presence of a small group of people at the graveyard 300 meters from his residence.

Geelani, who died late Wednesday at age 92, was buried only hours later in a quiet funeral organized by authorities under harsh restrictions, the Associated Press news agency reported quoting his son, Naseem Geelani. Nasim said the family had planned to bury him at the Martyrs’ graveyard in Srinagar’s Eidgah as specified in Geelani’s will but were not allowed to do so by police.

“They snatched his body and forcibly buried him. Nobody from the family was present for his burial. We tried to resist but they overpowered us and even scuffled with women,” junior Geelani alleged.

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However, police in a statement issued later rejected the allegations and said that police instead lend a helping hand in burial.

Meanwhile, restrictions were imposed throughout the Valley to prevent people from marching to Srinagar and there was heavy deployment of government forces to thwart any untoward incident.

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