No militancy related incident attributed to Burhan Wani, says Omar Abdullah
Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed with two associates by security forces in Anantnag district, police said.
In Short
- Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter with Jammu and Kashmir Police and the army.
- Omar Abdullah says there is no militancy related incident attributed to Burhan Wani.
In a major success to security forces and a massive blow to militancy in Kashmir, Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani, considered as face of new generation militancy of Kashmir, was killed in an encounter with Jammu and Kashmir Police and the army on Friday evening at Kokernag, around 80 km south of Srinagar.
TWO OTHER MILITANTS IDENTIFIED
Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, SJM Gillani said Burhan was killed in an encounter along with two other militants in Kokernag.
The police sources have identified two other militants killed in the encounter as Sartaj Ahmad Sheikh of Kokernag and Bashir Ahmad Lashkari of Sriguwara.
NO MILITANCY RELATED INCIDENT ATTRIBUTED TO BURHAN
"For all Burhan's social media activity I don't recall any militancy incident attributed to him while I was in office. Not sure after that", former chief minister Omar Abdullah tweeted.
"Alas Burhan isn't the 1st to pick up the gun & won't be the last. @JKNC_ has always maintained that a political problem needs pol. solution", reads another tweet of Abdullah.
SECURITY BEEFED UP IN VALLEY
As Burhan Wani being popular across Kashmir especially among the young generation, the authorities have stepped up the security in the Valley apprehending violent protests and demonstrations against his killing.
Soon after the news about his killing spread, hundreds of people started marching towards Tral in Pulwama district of south Kashmir, his ancestral town. In north Kashmir's Sopore town people assembled for protests.
In south Kashmir, pro-freedom and anti-India slogans were shouted from mosques to express angst against the killing. In Srinagar, people shouted pro-freedom and anti-India slogans from mosques. Sources said, in Hyderpora uptown area of Srinagar, police fired tear smoke shells to disperse the crowd protesting against the killing.
SEPARATISTS CALL FOR SHUTDOWN
Separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani called for shutdown against Burhan's killing and asked people to participate in his funeral.
In Srinagar administration has decided to impose curfew like restrictions in some parts of the city.
Police have placed almost all separatist leaders under house arrest.
BURHAN ICON OF NEW AGE MILITANCY
The son of government school principal, Burhan was seen as an icon of new age militancy in Kashmir as in the 25-year-long history of the armed insurgency of Kashmir, he became first militant commander to release his pictures on social networking site Facebook.
Only last month, the 22-year-old commander released a video warning against establishing Sainik colonies in Kashmir for former soldiers.
After Wani released his pictures on social networking site Facebook last year, police and security agencies described it as an attempt to galvanise the militancy and bring back the romance of early the 1990s to the militancy when thousands of young men joined militant ranks with a dream to bring aazadi.
Belonging to the middle-class family, Burhan like new generation militants had puzzled security agencies, which are spinning theories about causes that make educated youths, especially in south Kashmir, to join militancy.
For long, militants used the veil of secrecy to remain away from the radar of security forces. But Burhan changed it by posting his and pictures of his associates on social networking sites at a time when the number of militants in Kashmir had declined. He also would release his videos to convey his message which was unprecedented in 25-year long insurgency of Kashmir.
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