KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
The normal life was hit on Sunday following the death of the toddler – Burhan Bashir Bhat – in North Kashmir’s Sopore on Saturday morning.
Unknown gunmen fired a volley of bullets on his father, Bashir Ahmad Bhat, in whose lap Burhan was on his way back home. Bashir had gone for offering night prayers at a local Masjid.
While Bashir, a former militant, died on spot, Burhan succumbed to his bullet-wounds by the dawn of Saturday in SKIMS Srinagar.
After the news of his demise broke out, condemnations poured from every corner across ideological divide.
CM Mufti Sayeed termed killing of Burhan as “dastardly act”. “His heart goes out to the unfortunate mother of the young child, for whom the passing away of his son in such inhuman circumstances will be an earth-shattering experience,” a statement issued by information department said.
The cleric and Hurriyat (m) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq termed Burhan’s killing against humanity, while JKLF chief Muhammad Yasin Malik decided to hold one day hunger strike on Tuesday in Pratap Park to “mourn the killing”.
Octogenarian Hurriyat patriarch, Syed Ali Geelani called for a complete shutdown today. While terming the killing as “barbaric”, Geelani asserted that he does not enjoy calling shutdowns every now and then but “the issue is serious”.
“World mourned Aylan Kurdi’s (Syrian) death and by killing 3-year-old Burhan, entire Kashmir has shaken,” he said.
Kashmir is observing a shutdown, however, in city centre Lal Chowk, Sunday Market is working as usual and public transport is too plying albeit less. However, business establishments are closed and police, unlike past, didn’t force any restrictions in any part.
The innocent killing on the eve of Eid-al-Azha has come a shocker. The ‘return’ of “unknown gunmen” has at least claimed around a dozen lives in North Kashmir.
Police earlier claimed that killings are being done by a breakaway group of Hizbul Mujahideen – Lashkar-e-Islam – but Syed Sallahuddin in his reaction to Burhan’s killings said that “there is no such formation and blamed Indian agencies” for the gruesome murder.
