The J&K police said Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s sons first agreed to an early burial to avoid law and order problems, but later changed their mind.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police uploaded a series of videos on social media showing the funeral of separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani. The 92-year-old was given a quiet burial on Thursday.
The videos were released following rumours that he was buried without the mandatory ablution and shrouding after his body was forcibly taken away by the police from his family. Mr Geelani was buried before dawn and his family couldn’t perform the last rites.
One of the videos shows a group of people cleansing the body and shrouding it. This is followed by funeral prayers and lowering of the body into the grave at a Hyderpora graveyard, a few hundred metres from the late leader’s residence.
However, the police defended the themselves saying that the family had, at first, agreed to a night burial, but later changed its mind, forcing the police’s hand.
“However, three hours later, probably under the pressure from Pakistan and miscreants, they behaved differently and started resorting to anti-national activities, including wrapping the body in a Pakistani flag, making loud sloganeering in favour of Pakistan, and instigating neighbours to come out,” the Kashmir Zone Police tweeted on Monday.
Also read: Hurriyat Founder Separatist Leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani Passes Away
On Sunday, the police had filed a case under the anti-terror Unlawful Activities Prevention Act against some of Mr Geelani’s relatives for wrapping his body in a Pakistan flag.
“After persuasion, the relatives brought the body to the graveyard and performed last rites with due respect members of Intizamia Committee and local Imam. The refusal of both his sons to come to graveyard indicated their loyalty to the Pakistani agenda rather than their love and respect for their departed father,” the police tweeted.
However, the family has alleged that the police broke down doors, mistreated members, and forcibly took away Mr Geelani’s body. A series of videos showing the police action has gone viral on social media.
Meanwhile, some questioned the reasoning of the police because they released the videos of their version of the incidents four days later, others criticised them for filming the rites in the first place.
Earlier, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti criticised the government for “maltreating” Mr Geelani’s body.
“From the videos I saw, and statements made by Geelani’s family, it’s unfortunate the body was maltreated and desecrated,” said Ms Mufti.
“It’s sad that a dead man was not treated with dignity. We cannot do revenge politics on a dead man’s body. Even the last wish of a convict about to be hanged is respected,” she added.
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