The death of two Hizb militants in South Kashmir’s Shopian district sparked violent protests in Pulwama district where angry protesters amid pro-freedom slogans torched an armoured police vehicle and resorted to massive stone-pelting.Reports said that cop turned militant Naseer Ahmed Pandit and his companion Waseem Ahmed Malla fell to Army bullets when they tried to break the cordon in Vehil village of Shopian district. Earlier, the government forces led by Indian 62 Rashtriya Rifles cordoned off the village and questioned scores of villagers about the presence of militants in the area. Reports said that two militants emerged from a local house and as they tried to flee from the spot, the Army men showered bullets on them, killing the duo on spot. Later police identified them as Naseer Ahmed Pandit a resident of Kareemabad Pulwama and Waseem Ahmed Malla of Pehlipora Shopian.Police sources said that body of Waseem Ahmed was handed over to the family at 3 on Thursday morning while another militants body was dispatched to Karimabad at around 8 am only after top police officials ascertained his identity at police station Shopian.
A sea of people participated in the last rites of both the militants in their respective native areas. Eyewitnesses said that as the body of Naseer Ahmed arrived at Karimabad, scores of people mostly youth appeared in Muran Chowk Pulwam and amid pro-freedom slogans attacked an armoured police vehicle. “The protesters dragged the police driver out from the vehicle. They hoisted Pakistan flag atop of the vehicle and drove it towards the native place of the slain militant-some 3 kilometers away from Muran Chowk. The protesters shortly after reaching Karimabad set the police vehicle on fire. The angry protesters attacked other police vehicles with stones and tried to damage them. The government forces retaliated with tear-smoke shelling and aerial firing to disperse them,” eyewitnesses said adding that police later withdrew to avoid an escalation.Meanwhile, thousands of people on participated in the funeral of slain Hizb militants at their native places. Witnesses said that women assembled atop shacks and houses to catch the last glimpse of Naseer and Wasim. They were laid to rest amid pro-freedom and pro-Islam slogans.A police official termed the killing of these militants as major success for the security agencies. He said it is a setback to Hizbul Mujhadeen in South Kashmir. (CNS)