Ringing alarm bells for the security establishment, intelligence reports have pegged a 30 per cent increase in the number of youths joining militant outfits in the Kashmir Valley this year. Compared to 60 youths in 2014, as many as 79 youths have joined militant ranks in 2015.
Giving out the figures while replying to a written question in the Rajya Sabha by BJP member lal Sinh Vadodia, Minister of State for Home Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary on Wednesday informed that terrorist activities in Jammu & Kashmir were regularly being monitored and reviewed at various levels. He said the Government has adopted various counter measures to neutralise these efforts and capabilities of militants to disturb peace in the State.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh too had some time back indicated that though infiltrations of foreign militants were curbed by security forces, some outfits were operating to attract the youth to militancy.
There has been a growing concern within the security establishment about the sudden increase in disappearance of youths in the Kashmir Valley this year and reports coming in suggest that they have joined various militant organisations, especially pro-Pakistan Hizb-ul Mujahideen led by Burhan Wani.
The recently-concluded DGP’s conference also discussed this issue of jehadi outfits’ methods of attracting Muslim youths with specific reference to the situation in the Valley.
The MoS Home Affairs said the Government has also encouraged policies to mainstream the youth, including providing employment opportunities to wean them away from militancy.