Ganderbal, Apr 07: A complete shutdown was observed on Sunday in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district against the killing of a local student-turned-militant.
Reports said that all the business establishments remained closed while the traffic was also off the roads. Heavy deployment of the government forces was made at all the sensitive points of the district to thwart any untoward incident.
On Saturday, two militants were killed in a brief gunfight between government forces and the militants in apple orchads, falling between Pargochi and Khauram villages of south Kashmir’s Shopian district.
One of the slain militants was an M.Tech student of Nunner area of district Ganderbal. He was identified as Rahil Rashid Sheikh.
Rahil had reportedly joined Hizb-ul-Mujahideen militant outfit on April 03.
Thousands of people also participated in his funeral prayers today.
Chanting pro-freedom and pro-Islam slogans, the mourners marched with the body of Rahil from his residence to a local graveyard where he was laid to rest.
Meanwhile, his family and friends are unable to figure out his motivations for joining the militancy.
His father Abdul Rashid said, “He was an able and strong boy. Besides studies he was about to start his own business in construction industry. It came as a shocker to us when we heard that he was killed in an encounter.
“He had nothing to worry about as I had provided him everything he needed. He was very docile. I am clueless. It never appeared, at least to me, that he will join militancy,” his father said.
