Mob sets ablaze house in which militant Burhan was killed

A mob today set ablaze the house where Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani and his two associates were killed on Friday last in a gunfight with the security forces in Kokernag, about 83 kms from here.

A large crowd attacked the house of Manzoor Ahmad, reportedly relative of one of the slain militants, at Bumdoora and set it ablaze, a police official said.

The house was burnt down apparently because the mob felt that the tip-off to security forces about the presence of Burhan had come from its inmates.

The mob also damaged an orchard of high density apples before dispersing, the official said.

The situation in the area is "very tense" and being monitored by the authorities, the official said.

Burhan, 21-year-old poster boy of Hizbul Mujahideen, and two other militants were killed by security forces who moved into the village after a specific information about their presence in a house.

The security forces had gathered information about the presence of one Hizbul Mujahideen militant Sartaz raising hopes that Burhan may also be present as earlier intelligence inputs suggested that both used to move together.

When the encounter ended, security forces were jubilant on finding among the three dead terrorists Burhan who had shot to fame with series of videos and pictures on social networking sites asking youths to join militancy.

The official said some stray and intermittent incidents of stone pelting were reported from Qaimo Kulgam and Khudwani in south Kashmir, Trehgam, Lalpora, Battergam, Kupwara, Hyhama, Hatmulla, Warpora, Sopore, Arampora, Cement bridge, Baramulla and Palhalan in north Kashmir, Suzaith and Narbal in Budgam, Parimpora, Chinkral Mohalla in Habakadal in Srinagar.

However, there was no report of any casualty in the the clashes, he said.