Muhammad Abu Bakar
Srinagar
Despite ban on internet and cellphone services, several thousand people poured onto streets of Brath Kalan in Sopore when the body of Aijaz Ahmad Mir (21) son of Qayoom Ahmad Mir reached home. Aijaz was one of the two militants killed in a gunfight in Nathipora Sopore on Thursday morning.
Wrapped in a Pakistani flag, people were seen jostling with each other to have a last glimpse of his body.
Aijaz left his masters degree to join Hizb. He was doing his masters from Kashmir University. Aijaz was booked under public safety act in 2014 because of his involvement with militant outfit outfits and was released after 6 months.
Aijaz’s mother, who was waiting for her son’s body to arrive, was holding a pot full of candies in her hands. Women showered the bodies with candies.
Woman sang eulogies “tera bayee, mera bayee, Aijaz bayee Aijaz bayee, wala myani shahedo, bochh ma lajee (come my martyr, you might be hungry).
Scores of men and women wept bitterly as the body was being carried towards its final resting place. Another militant Basharat who was killed was laid to rest at his native village at around 10 am.
The funeral of Basharat was held at Bomai playground, with thousands of people attending his last rites.
Meanwhile, armed militants appeared at the funeral of Aijaz Mir and offered a gun salute to Aijaz and raised pro-freedom, pro-Islam and pro-Pakistan slogans.
Pertinently, mobile phone services were barred in northern parts of the valley on Thursday in view of anti-India protests.
Officials said that the measure was taken to “prevent law and order situation” following the killing of two militants.
