Over 20,000 attend Hizbul commander Wani's burial

Srinagar, July 9: More than 20,000 people on Saturday attended the burial of top Hizbul commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani in south Kashmir's Tral town.

People from different parts of Pulwama district gathered at Shariefabad (Tral) to attend the burial of Wani, who was killed along with two of his associates in a gunfight with security forces in Bamdoora (Kokernag) village of Anantnag district on Friday.

Shouting pro-Islam and pro-Azadi slogans, mourners at the burial appeared surcharged as youths raised slogans vowing to follow Wani's path.

The authorities, allowing the burial procedure, withdrew all security forces deployed around the ground to prevent clashes with the agitated people.

The authorities had imposed a curfew in the entire Pulwama district, but the people had come to attend Wani's burial by defying the curfew restrictions.

Mobile internet services were suspended throughout the Valley on Saturday to prevent spread of rumours.

Authorities also suspended mobile phone services throughout south Kashmir's Pulwama, Anantnag, Shopian and Kulgam districts.

Curfew has also been imposed in seven police station areas of Srinagar including Nowhatta, Rainawari, Khanyar, M.R. Gunj, Safa Kadal, Maisuma and Kral Koud.

The Amarnath Yatra was suspended on Saturday following law and order situation in areas along its route.

Train services from north Kashmir's Baramulla town to Bannihal town in the Jammu region were also suspended on Saturday.

All school board examinations scheduled for the day have been postponed.

Separatists, including hardliner Sayed Ali Shah Geelani, moderate Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Yasin Malik have called for a day strike to protest Wani's killing.

Lasha-e Taiba militant outfit and Asiya Andrabi, the radical chief of women separatist Dukhtaran-e-Milat, have called for a three-day shutdown in thr Kashmir valley.

IANS