On the sprawling Dara Shikoh gardens, final resting place of Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, thousands waited for hours to pay their last respects. Around 6:20 pm, when the body arrived in a decorated vehicle escorted by a cavalcade, they jostled for a sight of the coffin. It took 10 minutes for the coffin, draped in the tricolor and the state flag, to cover 50 m to a special podium. Read | PDP writes to Governor, Mehbooba Mufti set to be first woman CM of J-K When the body was lowered into the grave around 6.40 pm, many of them chanted, “Jab tak suraj chand rahega Mufti tera naam rahega.” Read | Mufti Mohammad Sayeed: The power centre and his journey People had initially assembled at Baba Mollah, Mufti’s house, then the crowd moved to Dara Shikoh garden, built in the Mughal era and developed by Mufti in his first term as CM. “The family decided to bury him in the park. It was dear to our leader, and now it has become his final resting place,’’ his nephew Sajjad Mufti said. Read | J&K CM Mufti’s death: JKBOSE, CUK exams postponed The funeral was attended by most ministers and leaders of all mainstream parties. Officials and politicians laid wreaths, while around 4,000 PDP workers participated in the burial prayers led by Mufti’s relative Zai-ud-din Nazimi, a prominent cleric of South Kashmir. Abdul Rehman Veri, Horticulture Minister and Bijbehara MLA, oversaw the arrangements. The tributes had begun in Delhi with Home Minister Rajnath Singh among the first to reach AIIMS. Members of Mufti’s family arrived at 10 am, followed by Vice President Hamid Ansari. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and party leader Karan Singh, and Delhi lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung. A hospital hearse van carried the body to Palam airport at 11 am. Rajnath, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and former chief minister Omar Abdullah too travelled to Srinagar, where the body was taken to Fairview, the CM’s official residence. Prayers led by Education Minister Nayeem Akthar were held at S K Stadium before the body was sent to his hometown Bijbehara, a 42 km road lined with security men. Read | Mufti Mohammad Sayeed – A suave politician The grave is in a corner of a park covered with chinar trees. “Mufti wanted India and Pakistan to come closer and the people of Jammu and Kashmir to the reap the dividends of the peace,” said Kaloo Ji Nanda, an old associate. The admirers had come from various places. “We are very unfortunate that Mufti Sayeed couldn’t complete his term. He had promised us South Kashmir would be developed,” said Ghulam Rasool, who had come from Ashjumji Kulgam. “He was not only a great leader of J&K but the lion of South Kashmir.”
