83% youth who joined militancy in last 18 months were stone-pelters: GoC Dhilon

The Army on Friday said its “in-house analysis” on Kashmir’s home grown militancy has revealed that 83 percent of local youth who joined militancy in the past 18 months had a “record of stone-pelting”.

“As per our analysis, 83 percent of local boys who picked upgun had a record of stone pelting. My sincere request to mothers in Kashmiri isthat if their children are resorting to stone pelting for just Rs 500,

   

they must ponder over it and keep their wards away from it,”said General Officer Commanding (GoC) 15 Corps, lieutenant general KJS Dhilon.

He was addressing media persons at Army’s Srinagar-basedheadquarters here. “The analysis shows that today’s stone pelter is tomorrow’smilitant,” he said.

Quoting the report, the GoC said 7 percent of militants whopicked up gun were killed in first 10 days of their joining militancy and 9percent of them were killed in their first month in militancy.

He said another 17 percent of the militants were killed inthe first three months after their picking up the gun and 36 percent werekilled in first six months of their joining militancy.

Besides, he said 64 percent of militants were killed infirst year of their joining the militant groups. “This shows the life of ayouth who picks up the gun is short,” said GoC Dhilon.

He reiterated his appeal to Kashmiri mothers to persuadetheir sons, who have joined militancy, to return home to live a normal life.”Army will facilitate safe return of those boys,” he said.

The GoC said Army was facing regular infiltration bids onLoC and attempts to push in militants to this side of Kashmir were also beingmade from “non-traditional routes” including Jammu-Panthankote sector.

“However all infiltration bids are being foiledeffectively,” the GoC said, adding the latest ceasefire violation was witnessedon July 30 in Gurez where three militants trying to infiltrate werekilled.  “If the other side resorts toceasefire violation again, our response will be very hard,” he said.

Speaking on the occasion, the Director General of Police(DGP) Dilbagh Singh said situation in Kashmir was under control as far as themilitancy was concerned.

“Over the past one year, we launched very successful anti-militancyoperations. In Jammu region, the number of militants is just eight as one ofthe militants surrendered yesterday only. Our appeal to parents bore the fruitsand many young boys returned to their homes and are living a normal andpeaceful life now,” he said.

The DGP said the crackdown on separatists, Jamaat-e-Islamiand JKLF leadership helped to establish peace in the region. “On the militancyfront, our target remains militant leadership and we succeeded on thatfront.  Today, Ansaar Gazwatul Hind (AGH)has been wiped out, Al-Badar has been decimated and Hizbul Mujahideendemolished to a large extent,” the DGP said.

He said “Terror Monitoring Group” (TMG) that was workingunder ADGP CID has also started its job and many “modules involved in fundingmilitancy have been busted.”

He said overall situation in Kashmir has “improved a lot” as3.40 lakh Yatris paid obeisance at the Amarnath cave shrine. The DGP said thatanti-militancy operations will continue in the State.

He said the deployment of additional forces in Kashmir wasbeing exaggerated. “The number is too less and meant to replace securitypersonnel who were already deployed in the Valley since Muncipal polls lastyear,” the DGP said.

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