Funeral of Shabir Ahmad Malik, a Kashmiri Muslim soldier

Malik, a para-trooper in the Army, laid down his life fighting a large number of militants who had infiltrated into this side of Line of Control in Chowkibal area of Kupwara district on March 20.

It was not only the Malik family who were mourning the loss of their 22-year-old son but the eyes of entire Wakura village were moist as they raised slogans in praise of the martyr and India.

Long Live Shabir and Hindustan Zindabad slogans rendered the air around Wakura as many youth vowed to follow the footsteps of Malik. According to official estimates, more than 5000 people attended the funeral prayers of the Army soldier.

Such scenes have been repeated across Kashmir valley hundreds, if not thousands of times, over the past two decades but the tears were shed for militants who were killed in encounters with security forces and slogans were against India.

"We are proud of what he has done but at the same time we are saddened by his loss," Ghulam Mohammad Malik, Shabir's brother, told reporters soon after laying him to rest at Dab-Wakura graveyard.

His mother is barely able to talk as she still is in disbelief that her son is no more.