SRINAGAR: As the polling staff retrieved from Baroosa, a village ten miles from Srinagar in Ganderbal District, a group of local residents restored to heavy stone pelting on their vehicle. This lead to clashes in the village and forces retaliated. They initially used tear smoke shells and later fired live ammunition.
Hearing the loud uneasy bangs, Omar Farooq, 22 left his house hurriedly.
As he approached towards the site of clashes, he saw people fleeing from the spot, shielding their bodies. But before Omar could return back and protect himself from the rain of bullets, one hit him in chest, locals said.
After forces and the polling staff left from this dusky village, the residents regrouped and took the bleeding Omar to SKIMS Soura. But he couldn’t reach alive.
Doctors declared him brought dead but refused to hand over his body to his family. His body was lying in lawn of hospital and his parents and sisters were wailing besides.
Omar was eldest and only brother of his two sisters. Omar was a professional driver and had brought a tipper few months back.
On Monday morning his body was taken to his native village where thousands of people had gathered. They bid him adieu amid melancholic cries from family, relatives and friends. His funeral prayers were offered in main market of Baroosa.
While he was being carried to grave yard, amid fierce Aazadi slogans, women were wailing and showering almonds and toffee on his coffin.
The entire belt was angry and on strike. They did not permit even vehicles to move around. The belt is so tense that a slight ignition can trigger a larger crisis, local said.
(Kashmir Life photo chief Bilal Bahadur recorded the funeral)
