2 Years After his Death, Burhan Wani's Influence on the Kashmir Valley Remains Strong

An eerie silence prevailed in Kashmir on the morning of July 8, which marks the second death anniversary of Burhan Muzaffar Wani, the Hizbul Mujahideen commander, who was killed by security forces in 2016. But this time, reverberating in the silence were the anguished cries of the loved ones of a minor girl and two youth who were killed in Kulgam.  The three died after the army allegedly opened fire on protesters on Saturday, an incident which also saw at least eight persons getting injured. The firing saw the highest number of deaths since Governor's rule was imposed in the valley. 

As residents prepared to commemorate the death anniversary of Wani, security was tightened on the route to his house in the Tral area. “As I reached the Tral area, the security forces stopped me from the entering the road leading to Burhan’s house. Strict curfew has been imposed. Tral gives the impression of being a military camp today,” a resident told Newsclick over phone, on the condition of anonymity. Meanwhile, internet services were  suspended and restrictions imposed in the Pulwama district, as well as the Nowhatta and Maisuma police station areas of Srinagar. Security personnel were seen stopping vehicles and checking identity cards to make sure no protests broke out. 

 “Why are the security forces threatened even two years after the death of Burhan Wani? Is his ghost still haunting them?" wondered a resident of Lal Chowk, Srinagar. Police officers maintained that the restrictions were imposed as a precautionary measure to avoid any untoward incident.  

The killing of Wani in 2016 led to a massive wave of protests in the valley that lasted for nearly 6 months. In his heyday, Burhan Wani was something of an icon in the region with young boys aspiring to be like him. Even after his death, he continues to exert a similar influence on the youth of south Kashmir. “Burhan Wani, for us, is a martyr and he will remain so. I want to be like him. In fact, everyone in my district wants to be like him. He did what others couldn’t do. He took one step closer to Azaadi,” said a 21-year-old boy from Pulwama district. Minutes later, the boy pulled up his Feran (a long cloak) to show a T-shirt with Burhan Wani's photograph printed.“See, he is with me,” the boy smiled, pointing to the shirt. 

Meanwhile, Wani's father was apprehensive of what might happen on Sunday. “For the past few days, we have been very worried. My martyred son was an icon for many and they are yet to come to terms with his death,” Muzaffar Wani told Newsclick.

Also Watch: An Interview with Fathers of Kashmiri Militants Burhan Wani and Saddam Peddar

Burhan Wani left home to join the ranks of the militants when he was barely 15 years old. His father, who is a headmaster and teaches maths, recalled that Wani was an intelligent student who always performed well in his exams. But one incident changed his life. “When Burhan was in class X, he went out with his brother Khalid. On the way, they were stopped by a group of security personnel, who ordered them to buy cigarettes. Even after they did so, the boys were beaten up by the forces. This incident changed his life. Burhan stopped talking to us. He kept to himself and a few days later, left one morning, never to return,” said Muzaffar Wani. He added that he had tried hard to get Burhan to leave militancy. “I told him that I would send him to Dubai for higher studies. When I failed to convince him, I even offered to send him to Pakistan for studies. But he did not listen,” added Muzaffar Wani. 

Burhan’s family said that after joining the ranks of the militants, he never came back. “Where he was living all this while, I didn’t know. Where he ate or slept, I had no idea. It was the people who loved him and gave him space in their houses,” said Muzaffar Wani.

Photos by Kamran Yusuf