In four months, Arwani buries its fourth militant
Anantnag: In less than four months, the residents of Arwani in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district shouldered the coffin of fourth militant hailing from the area.
The fourth militant who was buried by the locals here was Idress Ahmad Bhat. Idress was killed along with his four associates in Kellam gunfight that raged between forces and militants on Sunday.
Idrees, son of Mohammad RamzanBhat of ArwaniBijbehara, a 21-year-old youth who had joined militant ranks before two months was laid to rest at martyrs graveyard in Arwani village in Bijbehara Tehsil of Anantnag district.
Idrees abandoned studies after passing his 10th tenth class, due to family issues and bought his own Auto before he was arrested by forces over charges of having links with militants, said one of the cousin of Idrees.
He was booked under PSA for about eight months and he started working as driver again after he was released however, he was frequently called by Army and police where he was being tortured, said his father Mohammad RamzanBhat.
Regular tortures forced him to join militant ranks despite that he was the lone bread earner of his family, he said, adding that “I gave him permission to join militant ranks as no parent can bear the tortures Idrees was subjected to by the forces.”
“He was not willing to join militant ranks as he was aware about that there is no one besides him to take care of his old parents and five sisters as his elder brother is living separately from last one decade. But he was fed up of tortures, that is what forced him to join militants,” he added.
Idrees along with his four associates were killed in Kellam area of Kulgam on Sunday.
As the word about Idrees’s death spread, locals thronged his house in large numbers.
The anguish of loosing another bright youth was so deep among the mourners that they stood by the bereaved family throughout the night despite shivering during the cold night, witnesses said.
Two funerals for him were held on Sunday evening and about four funerals were held on Monday morning before he was laid to rest at around 11 am amid massive pro-freedom sloganeering, they added.
Thousands of people from different villages of South Kashmir thronged Arwani very early on Monday and participated in funerals of slain Idrees, eyewitnesses said.
Pertinently, Idrees was the fourth militant from Arwani killed in a span of less than 4 months.
On 22 Oct 2018, Yazil Makroo of Arwani along with his two associates was killed in Laroo area of Kulgam.
On 28 October 2018, Sahir Makroo from Arwani along with his three associates was killed in his native village.
On 23 November 2018, Azad Malik alias Dada, an accused in the killing of senior journalist ShujaatBukhari was killed along with his five associates in TakibalWaghama area of Anantnag District.
Jahangeer Ganaie
