Thousands gather to bid farewell to slain militants in Baramulla; Police Claims area ‘Militant Free’

Photo Story by Kamran Yousuf

Thousands of mourners on Thursday participated in the funeral of three local militants killed in a gunfight with the government forces in Baramulla’s Bimar village, 70 kilometers north of Srinagar, in Kashmir.

Police identified the slain trio as Shoaib Akhoon of Khanpora, Mosin Mushtaq of Qazihamam and Nissar Darzi of Jamia Mohalla Old Town. They were affiliated with Lashkar e Toiba militants outfit and were operating from the Baramulla district.

Amid inclement weather condition and restrictions, people from various area marched towards the native places of the slain militants to participate in their funeral prayers.

While shouting pro-freedom slogans, the mourners carried the bodies of militants to local graveyards where funerals were held.

Following specific information about the presence of militants the Cordon and Search operation was launched in the Binner village. As the forces intensified the searches and zeroed in on the suspected spot, the militants opened fire on them triggering off a gunfight.

With the killings of the trio, police claimed that there was “no surviving militant” in north Kashmir’s Baramulla District and declared it “free from militants.”