'Geelani's Sons Refused To Attend Funeral Due to Pak Loyalty': Kashmir Police

Geelani's family has alleged that they were not allowed to bury him as the body was forcibly taken away by police.

The Kashmir police, on Monday, 6 September, tweeted multiple videos of the funeral of late Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

(Image: The Quint/Aroop Mishra)

The Kashmir police, on Monday, 6 September, tweeted multiple videos of the funeral of late Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, which show the last rites of the deceased being performed with a group of persons in attendance.

The Kashmir police tweeted the videos and issued a statement on the funeral following allegations that the police had not allowed Geelani's family to bury him but had instead taken the body into their custody and had performed the burial. The allegations had been levelled against the police by the Hurriyat and Geelani's family.

"Reported allegations against Police are baseless. In fact, Police facilitated in bringing dead-body from house to graveyard as there was apprehension that miscreants might take undue advantage of situation. Relatives participated in last rites," IGP Kashmir had said in a statement.

A veteran Kashmiri separatist leader, Geelani had passed away at his residence in Srinagar on 1 September.

Kashmir Police's Statement

"After death of SAS Geelani, IGP Kashmir Shri Vijay Kumar along with SP & ASP met both of his sons at their residence at 11pm, condoled them & requested for burial in the night for larger interest of general public due to potential major L&O situations. Both agreed and asked to wait for two hours until relatives reach. IGP Kashmir personally spoke to a few relatives and ensured them of safe passage," the Kashmir police said in a series of tweets.

"However, 3hrs later probably under the pressure from Pakistan & miscreants they behaved differently & started resorting to anti-national activities including wrapping deadbody in Pakistani flag, making loud sloganeering in favour of Pakistan and instigating neighbours to come out."

Kashmir Police

After persuasion, the relatives brought the dead body to the graveyard and performed last rites with due respect, in the presence of members of Intizamia Committee and the local Imam, the police indicated.

"The refusal of both his sons to come to graveyard indicated their loyalty to Pakistani agenda rather than their love & respect for their departed father," the statement added.

The Kashmir police had filed a case under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) after videos had surfaced showing Geelani's body wrapped in a Pakistan flag as persons raised 'anti-national' slogans after his death, news agency PTI had reported on Sunday.

'Police Forcibly Took Away the Body': Geelani's Sons

In an interview with Kashmir Reader, Naseem and Nayeem Geelani, sons of the late separatist leader, said that the police had forcibly taken their father's body into custody.

“We told them (police) that it will be done tomorrow morning, so that all the relatives arrive and have a last glimpse of Geelani sahab. Women present at the home also told them to not touch the body with their hands. But then they (police) came at 3am after we refused to do the last rites during the night. They forcibly took the body and did the last rites without family members,” Dr Naseem told Kashmir Reader.

Geelani's Death

Separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani had passed away at his Srinagar residence after experiencing chest congestion and breathing problems on 1 September.

He was a member of the Jamaat-e-Islami and had led the separatist movement in Kashmir Valley since the 1990s, and was a lifelong chairman of the Hurriyat.

Calling Geelani a 'Kashmiri freedom fighter', Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said in a tweet, "We in Pakistan salute his courageous struggle and remember his words: 'Hum Pakistani hain aur Pakistan hamara hai.'"

Restrictions were imposed across the Valley in light of his passing, in order to control the law and order situation.

"Most of the restrictions are eased including the internet and situation is fully normal in both regions of Kashmir and Jammu, but under close watch," the Jammu and Kashmir police stated on Tuesday.

(With inputs from PTI.)