Youth’s body found in Pulwama village, locals stage protest
Pulwama: A Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) militant’s brother was found dead on Thursday morning at Naira village of Pulwama and his bullet ridden body was retrieved from a local girls higher secondary school.
The deceased was identified as Zahoor Ahmad Sheikh brother of active HM militant Irfan Ahmad Sheikh.
Villagers from Naira said that they heard few gunshots on Wednesday night and on Thursday morning they found his dead body.
The locals said that Zahoor was missing since gun shots were heard and a school peon on opening the school in the morning found his dead body.
A relative of the deceased said that Zahoor a shopkeeper by profession used to open his shop after Iftaar regularly.
“On Wednesday evening he repeated the exercise and after some time we thought that he must have left for the mosque to attend evening prayers. However, after the prayers ended Zahoor did not return to his home,” said one of his relatives, wishing not to be named.
Meanwhile, as soon as news of his killing spread in the area, youth took to streets and after getting his dead body, the protestors marched towards Deputy Commissioner’s office in Pulwama, witnesses said.
Protestors alleged that he was killed by forces and termed the killing as cold blooded murder. The protestors sought punishment to those involved in his killing.
Meanwhile, thousands of people participated in his funeral prayers and he was laid to rest amid pro freedom slogans.
Zahoor is survived by two brothers and mother.
Jahangeer Ganaie
