Two youngsters, who had recently joined the ranks of Al-Badr terror outfit less than a month ago, surrendered before the security forces after their parents made passionate appeals to them to lay down their arms and join the mainstream. However, no arms and ammunition were recovered from their custody at the time of the surrender.
In the video released by the Indian army, two terrorists were seen stepping out of their hideout in Shalpura Tujar area of Sopore.
Last week an over ground worker (OGW) was also captured live by the security forces after a brief exchange of fire and later he too had surrendered before the security forces in Chadoora area of Budgam. So far, 29 terrorists have returned to the mainstream after laying down their arms since January 1, 2020.
The surrendered terrorists have been identified as Abid Mushtar War and Mehraj-ud-Din by the Jammu and Kashmir police. They were both residents of Wadoora Payen Bomai, Sopore.
Briefing media persons about the incident, GOC Kilo Force, Maj Gen H S Sahi said, “On 22 October 2020, based on intelligence inputs, an operation was launched by the Indian Army and JKP in village Tujar of Sopore”.
He said as the cordon was laid, we received inputs about the presence of two local terrorists inside the target house. “After verifying the identity of the hiding terrorists, their parents were summoned to the spot and appeals were made to them to surrender before the security forces. He said, the security personnel present at the location also appealed to them to surrender and they responded to the calls”.
Sharing further details, Maj Gen HS Sahi said, “these two youngsters had gone missing from their native village Wadoora Payen in Sopore on September 23, 2020. He said the same evening a grenade blast was reported from Sopore in which they were both involved”.
A week later the family members of these newly recruited youth were approached and their assistance was sought to bring them back to the mainstream.
“Since then the joint teams of security forces were making all out efforts to track down their footprints. Assurances were also given to the parents to ensure safety of their sons”, he added.