On the eighth anniversary of Burhan Wani’s death, Indian Occupied Kashmir observed a complete shutdown. Burhan Wani, born on September 19, 1994, in Dadasar village of Pulwama, joined Hizbul Mujahideen at 16, reportedly due to harassment by Indian security forces.
He gained popularity among Kashmiri youth for his adept use of social media. In August 2015, the Indian government placed a 1 million rupee bounty on him. Indian forces killed Wani in Kokernag on July 8, 2016.
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His funeral drew over 200,000 attendees and sparked widespread protests in Kashmir, resulting in a 53-day curfew and the deaths of over 100 Kashmiri youths in violent demonstrations.
Wani remains a symbol of resistance for many young Kashmiris, continuing to influence the region’s separatist movement years after his death.
