Top Lashkar terrorist Abu Dujana spotted in rally organised by separatists in Kashmir's Pulwama district?

Srinagar: At a protest rally on Sunday organised by the separatists in Pulwama district to pay tributes to militants and civilians killed recently in Kashmir valley, Abu Dujana, a man said to be a top terrorist of Pakistani terror group Lashkar-e-Toiba, was spotted, a media report quoted sources as saying,

As per NDTV, people were seen rallying around him and shouting slogans.

However, the report added that police denied Dujana's presence.

On the other hand, PTI reported that unconfirmed reports did say that some militants were present at the rally.

But the news agency added that the police officials said that they had not come across any evidence to support these claims.

"We are looking into the matter," an official said.

Meanwhile, Pakistani flags were waved and pro-militant slogans were raised at the rally.

Thousands of persons had assembled at Kareemabad graveyard in Pulwama district on a call given jointly by hardline Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, moderate faction head Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik.

At the same time, slogans eulogising militants like Pakistan-based Hizbul Mujahideen supremo Syed Salahuddin and Dujana.

Videos of the rally, posted on social media, have gone viral showing people chanting pro-freedom slogans.

Several top Hizb militants killed in recent anti-militancy operations including Naseer Ahmad Pandit, Bilal Ahmad Bhat, Afaq Janbaz and Abdul Rashid Bhat hailed from Kareemabad and adjoining areas.

Normal life remained paralysed in Kashmir for the 23rd consecutive day on Sunday where the toll due to violence rose to 49 with one more youth succumbing to injuries sustained a week back.

17-year-old Ishfaq Ahmad Dar, who was injured during protests in Sopore town of Baramulla district on July 23, succumbed at SKIMS Hospital Soura.

Restriction on assembly of four or more people is on in entire Kashmir which has been witnessing unrest ever since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen 'commander' Burhan Wani on July 8.

(With Agency inputs)