New surrender policy in offing, asserts IGP Khan; parades arrested terrorists

‘17 locals joined militancy in past 4 months’

SRINAGAR: Asserting that the 'intense' social media campaign from Pakistan is luring Kashmiri youth towards militancy, the state police on Thursday said around 17 local youth have joined militants in the last four months even as the security forces offer ample chances to active militants to surrender.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP) (Kashmir) Muneer Khan said that security forces would take all steps to help "local militants" in Kashmir return to a normal life, even if they surrender during an encounter, while parading two of the three terrorists the forces have arrested in past two days from the Kund encounter in Kulgam district, which according to the IGP is still going on.
Khan also said that the police is compiling its recommendation to be submitted to the government on steps to be taken for rehabilitation of those militants who surrender, thus hinting at a comprehensive surrender policy in offing.
"Religious indoctrination, relentless social media campaign by Pakistan lures Kashmiri youth towards militancy. Youngsters between 15 and 25 years are lured towards militancy because they cannot distinguish between right and wrong," IGP Khan told reporters in a press conference at Police Control Room in Srinagar.
The IGP said that around 17 boys took up arms in the last four months.
"I don't agree with the figure of media that 40 boys have joined militancy. It is an exaggerated figure," Khan said, adding that "misguided youth in south Kashmir join militants more as compared to the northern parts, because the south Kashmir region has more number of local militants.
The IGP said that security forces give ample chances to militants to surrender, even during operations.
The IGP was briefing reporters about the operation that is going on in Kund area of Kulgam in south Kashmir from the last two days.
"Operation Kund is still one as we have reports that two militants-one foreigner and one local- are still hiding in the area. As per our reports it was a group of six militants of Hizb and LeT. Three have been arrested, one killed and two are still hiding in the area," Khan said, adding the operation at Kund and Waltengu Nar in Kulgam district, which began on November 14, was on.
"Sticking to our commitment of giving chance to local militants to come back and join mainstream inspite of the fact that we lost one of our jawans, we arrested three militants alive, namely Shamsul-ul-Waqar, Bilal Sheikh and Ata Mohammad," he said.
Police produced the two arrested militants-Shamsul Waqar and Bilal Sheikh- before the media. About the third militant Atta, the IGP said that he was still hospitalised.
"Ata has suffered injuries in his leg and he was at the verge of death. If he would have been left there he would have been dead, but these jawans rescued him and took him to hospital. He has survived and is out of danger," he said.
All the three arrested militants are from Kulgam district. Malik, who was critically injured in the encounter, hails from Ringeth village of DH Pora, Kulgam and had joined militants 20 days ago. Shamsul is from Ganjipora village while Sheikh is from Rampora village of the district.
The IGP said that one militant and a soldier were killed on the very first day of the encounter.
The slain jawan was identified as Sepoy Manjinder Singh, 20, from Punjab, who had recently joined the Army. The militant, Muzamil Ahmad, of Badroo Yaripora in Kulgam district belonged to Lashkar-e-Toiba and had been active for over four years, police said.
"Despite losing a soldier, we arrested three militants. Government is very keen on an effective surrender policy for local militants, for which they have sought suggestions from us. We are in the process of compiling them. Local militants have to be rehabilitated," he said.
The IGP said the operations are being conducted in a coordinated way with army and CRPF.
"The operation is on in Kund and specific area is under cordon. A foreign militant and a local militant are hiding in a particular area. We are looking for them and hopefully we will get them," he said.
"Unless there is coordination, militants will flee and security forces will suffer losses," he said.
Inspector General Operations CRPF Zulfiqar Hassan said that the successful operations are being conducted because of the synergy between forces.
"Synergy between forces is excellent," he said.
The IG said "as far local militants are considered, we have been saying in the past that they are welcome to join mainstream if they surrender".
"We want to go ahead with the appeal that local militants can surrender and all the forces are ready to help them to have safe and secure future," he said.
Brigadier Sachin Malik, Sector 2 RR, who was present in the press conference said: "I just want to empahsise that we will continue operation against militancy relentlessly."