At Tral, women protested and raised slogans that Burhan Wani was their real hero.

Tral: The hometown of slain militant commander, Burhan Wani, remains one of the most restive areas of Kashmir. It is not only that people want to continue their mourning for Burhan who has inspired many youth to join militant ranks in Tral but the brutal excesses by the government forces has made them hit the road. Women want to take up guns, children indulge in stone-pelting and young boys are ready to join the militant ranks.

But more fervent has been the father of slain militant commander, Mohammad Muzafar Wani, who is not sorrowful over his son’s death, instead feels that he is living. Muzafar Wani, invokes Islamic teachings in favour of his belief that his son died as 'martyr' and is among Allah's chosen ones. Muzafar Wani's house is thronged by people who have been extolling militancy through the mic that was set up at the tent. Praise for Burhan blares out with people shouting slogans: “Gun solution only solution, Gun solution only solution.’’

“My son died as a martyr. He attacked the government forces as they oppose the freedom. He died for the freedom of his people,’’ he said. Wani recalled that his other son Khalid Muzafar was also killed in the encounter: “The Islamic teachings are clear that a man who dies in the way of Allah dies as a martyr. He is alive till the day of judgment,’’ he added. According to Wani, Burhan was harassed by the police forces as a teenager and that was why he became a militant.

On Friday evening, Burhan was killed by security forces in South Kashmir area of Kokernag. He was laid to rest the next day and the town has been thronged by large numbers of people since then. Residents said that 16-17 militants joined the funeral prayers at the local ground where Burhan was buried, they fired shots into the air and paid him a gun salute. Burhan’s grave is next to that of his brother.

On Tuesday, young men had boarded the trucks and had ridden their private vehicles and bikes to travel through the dirt tracks to reach the house of Burhan Wani. Despite restrictions in place, the men marched along chanting slogans of freedom and reached Tral. Here, not a single army or paramilitary force personnel could be spotted. On the way to Tral, the Jammu-Srinagar national highway remained completely deserted with major stretches without any security while in some pockets youth had blocked the roads and didn’t allow the movement of vehicles.

At Tral, women protested and raised slogans that Burhan was their real hero. Men like Ghulam Nabi Mir said that Burhan laid down his life for the people of Kashmir. “He had no individual interest. He was a real hero, our real leader. He was our role model,’’ he said. Young men from the adjoining areas said they knew Burhan only through social media platforms as he had been sharing the videos; some showed their willingness to join militancy. A few said that the only way they can achieve the freedom was by fighting the forces and those who have not yet come in contact with militant commanders plan to snatch away the rifles of the police personnel and learn to operate the weapons to attack them.

Muneer Mustafa, cousin of Burhan Wani, showed torture marks on his back and the wrist. He said that Wani had no option but to pick up the gun. “Shaheed Ki Jo Mout Hai Wo Kom Ki Hyat (The death of the martyr is the life for the nation),’’ he shouted at Burhan’s house, others joined him. Mustafa said that as a young boy when he had protested the bid of the forces to molest women, he was detained and later given electric shocks and received burn marks.

As Tral simmers, the conditions here could well decide whether normalcy will return to Kashmir. As would be the stand by Hurriyat and their decision to extend the strike calendar. But Tral and other parts of Kashmir continue to be restive. Muzafar Wani said that attacks on the forces should continue 'till the time Kashmir achieves freedom'.