Forces resort to aerial firing as mourners gather for funeral of Zeenat ul Islam in south Kashmir

Government forces on Sunday resorted to aerial firing as the mourners were gathering to participate in the funeral prayers of Al Badr commander Zeenat ul Islam at his native Sugan village of south Kashmir’s Shopian district.

Witnesses said the forces had sealed all roads leading to Sugan village to limit the number of people participating in the funeral of Islam.

However, they said, mourners continued to assemble in the village after making their way through orchards.

Soon after the forces resorted to aerial firing to disperse the people, an eye witness said, the youth pelted them with stones, triggering clashes.

Islam a ‘known cordon breaker’ was killed along with an associate Shakeel Ahmad in a gunfight with the government forces in Kathora area of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district last evening.

Zeenat-ul-Islam, according to police records, got affiliated with Al-Badr in 2006 and was later arrested.

However after he was released, he again got recycled in 2016 and subsequently got affiliated with HM and recently he joined Al-Badr outfit, said a police spokesman.