Social media reacts to militant's killing

Authorities on Saturday suspended mobile internet services in Kashmir following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani.

Wani, a top commander of the outfit and poster boy of Kashmir Valley militancy, was killed in a police encounter in south Kashmir on Friday.

His killing left social media awash with anger and grief, with netizens paying glowing tributes to him. By midnight, the public response was so overwhelming that the government suspended mobile internet connectivity in the Valley.

Former chief minister Omar Abdullah tweeted: “Mark my words — Burhan's ability to recruit in to militancy from the grave will far outstrip anything he could have done on social media.”

Police officials also launched a campaign on social media to put forth the ‘khaki perspective’.

Senior Superintendent of Police, Baramulla, Imtiyaz Hussain, said in a Facebook post: “On one hand, people will glorify Burhan’s killing and on the other, they will take their families for a weekend picnic.”

“Yesterday, he (Burhan) was romanticised, cheered, lionised and celebrated by them. Once his associates started getting killed, a few even wondered if he was ‘being run by agencies’. Today, they mourn his death, refer to him as a ‘shaheed’,” said Hussain, who has been nicknamed ‘khaki fidayeen’ for his role in counter-insurgency operations.