Aakash Hassan
Srinagar
As it was raining heavily, thousands of people were marching towards Nagam Chadoora in Budgam district. The wet atmosphere was draped with high emotions.
Small and large groups, Young, old—men and women— were impatient to have the last glimpses of slain militant. Everyone was hailing—Gaznavi—his will and commitment.
These were the scenes at the funeral of slain operational commander of Hizb-Ul-Mujahideen Mohammad Yasin Itoo alias Ghaznavi. He was killed along with his two associates in a gun battle at Awneera village Southern Kashmir’s Shopian district.
Thousands of people gathered and several rounds of the funeral were offered. Amid pro freedom, pro-Pakistan slogans, Gaznavi were laid to rest.
Yasin is believed to be longest surviving militant, who had joined ranks in 1996 when he was a college student. Earlier, two years ago he was believed to be killed at LoC. A funeral prayer in absentia was also offered at that time.
However, he later appeared in a number of videos and was active in southern Kashmir.
Last year, on this day he along with other militants wearing green cloth, appeared at a mega rally in Redwani village of Kulgam and addressed people offering a gun salute. The rally was held in support to the independence day of Pakistan.
