By Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net
Srinagar: In an incident that is likely to leave Kashmir’s ruling party People’s Democratic Party and Mufti Mohammed Sayeed red-faced, protestors hoisted the Pakistani flag on the Chief Minister’s ancestral home in Bijbehara earlier today.
The home town of Syed was witnessing thousands of people, especially youths, gathering to join the funeral of three native separatist militants, who according to Police officials, were killed on Monday after a brief gunfight in the Ashmuqam area of South Kashmir’s Islamabad District.
Pakistan Flag hoisted on ancestral home of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister (Courtesy Facebook)
The three slain militants-Sartaj Ahmed Lone, Aadil Ahmed Sheikh and Tanvir Ahmed Bhat-were residents of Bijbehara town.
The dead bodies of slain militants were kept in a local park in the vicinity of CM’s ancestral home. People in large numbers from nearby towns and villages thronged the park to have a glimpse of militants whom they consider martyrs.
Reacting to the deaths, Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s faction, Hurriyat (G), had called for a complete shutdown on which affected life in Valley. The mourners were addressed by Syed Ali Geelani over the phone. He blamed the Indian government for killing three youths and stressed that “Pro-India politicians were responsible for strengthening the Indian occupation on Kashmir.”
A statement issued by the J&K Police said that three militants of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit were killed in an encounter in Ashmuqam area of Anantnag district this afternoon.
“Acting on specific information about the presence of militants in Siligam Ashmuqam area, Police, 3-RR and CRPF cordoned off the area and launched the search operation. Hiding militants opened fire on the joint search party and encounter broke. The encounter ended with the elimination of three militants of HM outfit,” reads the statement.
“Aadil Sheikh was involved in the killing of a policeman Arif Nazir Khan of Police Station Bijbehara on June 16 this year. Tanveer was involved in the killing of a civilian Javid Ahamd Sofi, who was killed by militants on March 22 this year at New Colony Bijbehara.”
After the funeral, intense clashes broke out in the town, with security forces resorting to using tear gas shells and aerial firing. A number of youth have been reported injured in the incident.