Srinagar, Nov 10 (HS): Adnan Altaf Rathar, an MBBS student from Sopore who died in Bangladesh, was laid to rest at his ancestral graveyard on Tuesday morning amid the sobs and wails of grieving mourners.

Adnan, 26, a resident of Dangarpora in Sopore, was pursuing his MBBS in Bangladesh. His body reached his native village on Tuesday morning. As the ambulance carrying the body entered the village, people from surrounding areas gathered in large numbers, and a pall of gloom descended on the entire locality. Every eye was moist, and Adnan’s relatives and friends were inconsolable. Women beat their chests in grief, while children too wept bitterly.

Hundreds of people attended Adnan’s funeral prayers, after which he was buried at his ancestral graveyard with tearful eyes.

Adnan was studying at Eastern Medical College in Cumilla, Bangladesh. According to the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association, he went missing late on the night of November 2 after leaving the college campus, and his body was recovered on the morning of November 4 from a waterbody about 500 yards from the college. The body was moved to Cumilla Medical College Hospital for post-mortem examination.

The family had appealed to the Centre for the early return of the body. Association national convener Nasir Khuehami had said on November 4 that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Indian Mission in Dhaka had directed the Assistant High Commission of India in Chittagong to assist the family and take steps to bring the body back to India at the earliest.

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti had also asked the Indian High Commission in Dhaka and the MEA to help bring the body home.

Jammu and Kashmir Health Minister Sakina Itoo had said on November 5 that she had spoken to Union Health Minister J P Nadda in this regard and that he had assured help in bringing the body back.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Zahoor Hussain Bhat