FAISALABAD, Oct 27: Shahzad Tanveer, the alleged mastermind and one of the suicide bombers of London blasts, was buried in Chak 477 GB (Kotan) in Samundri, about 45 kilometres from here, on Thursday.

Faisalabad DPO Muhammad Amin confirmed that the body had been flown to Pakistan in the wee hours of Thursday. “His family members on their own had brought the body. There has been no intimation at official level,” he told Dawn.

The coffin was brought to Lahore from London by his father Tanveer Ahmad, mother Parveen Akhtar, younger brother Rizwan and other relatives. British security agency personnel also accompanied the coffin. It was taken to Samundri by the Pakistani secret agency personnel amid tight security. Announcements were made through mosques about the funeral prayers for Shahzad. About 300 villagers and relatives attended the funeral prayer and he was buried in the Barkat Ali Shah graveyard.

Police commandos and secret agency personnel encircled the funeral procession to avoid any untoward incident. No speech or sermon was allowed. Funeral prayers were led by Maulvi Faqir Ahmad, a caretaker of the shrine of Peer Barkat Ali.

None of the journalists or photographers were allowed to come close to the coffin by the family.

Some of the villagers told this correspondent that Shahzad was a brilliant and humble boy and had cordial relations with some of the youngsters during his stay in the village in November last.

Tahir Pervaiz, maternal uncle of Shahzad, and other relatives refused to comment over the issue. They also misbehaved with the media persons saying that they were being dubbed as “terrorists” by the newspapers.

Tanveer Ahmad, the father of Shahzad, was a resident of the area around the Mangla dam. He was issued a visa for the UK after displacement due to the construction of the dam. He migrated to England while his family started residing in Chak 77 GB where a piece of land was given to them by the government.

Shahzad had two sisters and a brother. They are running a fast food outlet in London. Shahzad studied in London.