80 youth joined militants ranks in south Kashmir this year, say top security officers
Pulwama: Around 80 youth have joined various militant ranks this year in Southern districts of Kashmir alone while as seven out of eight new recruits were killed in separate encounters so far.
This was disclosed by top officials of the security forces here Saturday.
Addressing a joint press conference in Pulwama, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police South Kashmir range, Atul Goel said around 80 local youth from South Kashmir districts joined different militant organizations this year among them several have been killed, few were arrested and some have surrendered.
Commenting on the Shopian and Pulwama encounters, Goel said: “Seven militants killed in the past 24 hours were involved in several attacks on security forces and civilians”.
Speaking on the occasion, General Officer Commanding (GOC) Victor Force, Major General A Sengupta said that seven out of the eight militants, who had joined militancy this year, were killed in Shopian and Pulwama districts so far.
“These youth were misguided with the false promises by Pakistani militants, handlers and other people who have anti national sentiments,” he said. “Number of militancy related incidents are at a very low as there is leadership crisis in all militant organizations.”
Commenting on the surrender of a militant at Kiloora, Shopian on Friday in which four militants were killed, commander of army’s 12 sector Brigadier Ajay Katoch, appealed to all active militants to surrender assuring the army will facilitate the surrender and help them live a dignified normal life.
“I would appeal all active militants to surrender and whatever support they need, we will provide them so that they can live a normal life,” he said.
