Recruitment into militant ranks in Kashmir during the first four months this year has been the lowest in two years, an internal assessment report of J&K Police has revealed.
According to the report 23 local boys have joined militancyso far this year, three times less than in the comparative periods of 2017 and2018.
“Till April 25 this year so far, only 23 local boys joinedvarious militant ranks. The figure is lowest ever since 2017 when new agemilitancy started picking up in Kashmir,” the report reveals.
In 2018, till April 30, the number of local boys who took toarms was 30.
“A majority of these youth hailed from southern districtswhile only four belonged to northern districts,” the report reveals.
An official privy to the report said a close watch was beingkept on whether the local militant recruitment will pick up in April.
“But it showed a declining trend,” he said. In 2018, thereport says 29 youth joined militancy in Kashmir up to May 30.
“Given the declining trend till April this year, therecruitment won’t pick up the way it used to in the past two years,” theofficial said.
“A close watch will be kept on crucial months – May, June,July and August this year.”
According to the findings available with the police, the”traditional towns and villages in south and north Kashmir that showed theupward trend of local militant recruitment since 2017 have also shownsatisfactory results.”
“The youth in these areas are less inclined towardsmilitancy which is a good sign. Though many youth who were about to joinmilitancy were brought back by the timely intervention of their families andthe police,” the official said.
“Uploading videos, posing with guns on social media thatearlier had become a trend has also shown a declining trend.”
According officials, 1056 militants including 30 topcommanders of Hizbul Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Toiba, Jaish-e-Muhammad andAnsaar-Gazwatul Hind were killed since May 2017.
The chief of the Army’s Srinagar-based 15 Corps, LieutenantGeneral Kamal Jeet Singh Dhillon recently claimed that after the Pulwamasuicide attack on CRPF convoy, 45 militants were killed of which 25 belonged toJaish-e-Muhammad, the militant group that claimed responsibility for the carbombing that left 40 paramilitary troopers dead.
A senior police official said that the killing of topcommanders of various outfits caused a major dent to locals being recruitedinto militancy.