KU Students protest, offer funeral in-absentia for slain professor

By Rashid Manzoor

Srinagar May 06: Students of Kashmir University Sunday held a protest inside the campus in favour of Dr Mohammad Rafi, an Assistant Professor in Sociology, who was killed in an encounter with government forces at Shopian, which ended with the death of four other militants as well.
The students also offered funeral prayer in-absentia for the slain faculty member, who had gone missing since Friday afternoon.
Dr Rafi hailed from Ganderbal and was working as a contractual assistant professor in Sociology department of the varsity.
He was killed on Sunday morning in the encounter at Shopian’s Badigam village.
On Saturday, the family members of Dr Rafi had visited Kashmir University looking for him.
Sunday morning, everyone was shell-shocked as the news broke about him holed up in an encounter with four other top militants including Saddam padder (category A++, the last one of slain Burhan wani’s group), Maulvi Bilal, Tauseef sheikh and Adil Ahmad.
Two civilians were also killed and five others injured following clashes between protesters and government forces near the encounter site.
Inspector general of Police (IGP), Kashmir, SP Pani, as per reports, said that attempt was made to persuade the militants, especially Rafi.
“But they refused,” Pani said adding that family members of Rafi too were asked to convince their surrender to surrender but of no use.
A video also surfaced on social media sites in which SSP Shopian, Shailendra Mishra was seen appealing militants to surrender.
In a notification, Kashmir University has suspended all class work for Monday and Tuesday fearing the student protests inside the campus.