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Shopian, January 13: It’s a moment of pride for me and God willing we will achieve for what my son had been striving,  said Ghulam Hassan Shah, father of slain Al Badr commander Zeenatul Islam on Sunday.

South Kashmir is on boil since the news of killing Zeenatul Islam along with another associate spread in the region yesterday.

According to eye witnesses,  Zeenatul Islam’s father Ghulam Hassan Shah While addressing a mammoth gathering at funeral asked people not to weep,  cry and wail as it was a moment of pride for him that his son died while fighting forces and returned home as martyr.

“I tell you not to wail over this.  It’s a moment of pride for me,” GH Shah told the gathering,  to which massive sloganeering erupted. He told them that the struggle that his son had set foot on will not go waste.

“In Sha Allah we will achieve for what my son had been striving for,” Shah said. Militants also appeared in the funeral and offered gun salute to their associate.

Locals told KNO that while Army had been clashing with youth around the area militants appeared and gave gun salute to Zeenat. Thousands participated in the slain militants funeral and locals claim at least five funeral prayers were offered.

At least eight people are injured including one critically amid clashes that erupted in South Kashmir on Sunday. According to reports forces use live ammunition to disperse the protesters. Hospital authorities at District Hospital Pulwama confirmed to KNO that they have received eight injured.

“Eight injured with bullet injuries were brought to hospital among them one is critical,” they said. Massive clashes erupted in Kulgam after Army blocked all the entry points for people trying to have last glimpse and participate in funeral prayers of Commander Zeenat ul Islam.

Locals said that the  government forces have laid barricaded roads and even movement through orchards is halted. “Clashes erupted between people and government forces as the latter did not allow people to go to zeenats funeral, ” they said.

Reports said that Forces opened aerial gunfire to disperse marching people. “Injuries are being reported from various places were clashes were happening,” they said.  Chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq condemned use of force  on mourners.

He said that the use of force on mourners was against basic ethos of humanity And democracy. A Bachelor in Science, Zeenat-ul-Islam had joined militant ranks in 2008 and was associated with Al-Badr.

On Saturday, Zeenat-ul-Islam alias Dr Usman and his associate were were killed in a shootout in the Kathpora village in Yaripora. Zeenat-ul-Islam (30), listed in police records as category A++ militant and carried a bounty of Rs 12.5 lakh on his head.