KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
Amid clampdown on Kashmir since Friday dawn, people from across Tral and adjoining areas started gathering in main Eidgah Tral today at 11 AM.
Local reports said that thousands of people offered Juma Namaz in the same Eidgah where funeral prayers for slain militant commander Burhan Wani were offered.
Considered poster boy of “new age” militancy, Burhan Wani along with his two associates was killed on last Friday in Kokernag in South Kashmir.
“Roads were blocked at several places but people from across Tral walked by foot,” a local who was amongst thousands who was part of Friday congregation said, “but people used treks through orchards and rice fields and managed to reach the Eidgah.”
Burhan Muzaffar Wani, 22, was a resident of Sharief Abad Tral. His father is a gazetted officer who heads a government run 10+2 School. Burhan’s elder brother, Khalid Muzaffar, was killed in a mysterious encounter by army in Tral forests last year.
“Regular Army and SOG of JK Police had taken over many main places and people avoided such routes,” the locals said.
The locals said that several leaders from All Parties Hurriyat Conference had managed reach Tral. “They had got a recorded message from Hurriyat patriarch Syed Ali Geelani which was played on the occasion,” the locals said.
Amid intense pro-freedom and pro-Burhan slogans, mandatory Friday congregational prayers were offered at 2 PM “You know Geelani Sahab is under house detention and government has snapped the phone network,” the leaders told the people, “we have got the message recorded from the Hurriyat chief.”
In the message Geelani while paying tributes to “martyrs of Kashmir” asks family members of Burhan to “maintain calm and bear patience”. “22 year old Commander Burhan has achieved martyrdom at such a tender age which shows his commitment and honesty with the cause,” Geelani said in his message.
Majority of area in Kashmir are under strict curfew and authorities disallowed the mandatory Friday congregational prayers. Government imposed strict curfew in Old Srinagar and people were barred from moving out of their homes and offer prayers in historic Jamia Masjid.
At least 40 civilians were killed since last Saturday by forces during protests which erupted after Burhan was killed by forces on last Friday. An SPO with JKP was killed when protestors pushed a moving police bunker in to a river near Sangam in Islamabad.
