After eliminating 100 terrorists including several top commanders of Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad and Hizbul Mujahideen since January this year the Indian Army has once again appealed to the local youth on the path of terrorism to surrender and join the mainstream.
The passionate appeal was made by Lt-Gen YK Joshi, Goc-in-C Northern Command headquarters in Udhampur on the occasion of 23rd anniversary of homecoming of 23 boys who “were forced to pick up arms'', but were rescued by the Army in the Gurez sector and handed over to their families later in 1998.
"The youth on the path of terrorism will be given a second chance to come back and integrate with their families and join the mainstream and lead a normal life, like these individuals had done, two decades back", Army Commander said.
Lt-Gen Joshi along with other senior officers interacted with these youth and their families after felicitating them at a simple ceremony at Mansabal Lake park in Central Kashmir's Ganderbal district.
Highlighting the role of the parents the Army commander said, "parents have an important role to play, in ensuring that their children do not follow the path of violence, which only brings pain and misery, not only for the ones who join terrorism, but also their immediate and extended families". He said, the Army is steadfast in its resolve of ethical conduct and ensuring full support to those who want to leave the path of violence.
Defence PRO in Srinagar Col Emron Musavi said, the rescued boys are now leading normal, happy lives and are married and have families of their own, with children, who themselves nurture dreams of having successful careers, and being responsible citizens of the country.
Sharing background of the event, Defence PRO Col Musavi said,"On 23 Aug 1998, a group of 23 young Kashmiri boys was apprehended, while attempting to cross the LC. These young boys were being compelled into a path of militancy through false promises by a fellow Kashmiri by the name of Abdul Hamid @ Bambar Khan, a resident of Ganderbal, into joining terrorist tanzeems and were being taken to POK".
"Over a period of 10 days from 04 Aug to 14 Aug 1998, Bambar Khan, with the help of local OGWs, had collected these 23 young boys, all within 18 years of age, either by force or through radicalization and had kept them in the dense jungles of Ajas. Thereafter the group moved across the Shamsha Bari range into Gurez Tulail Valley, with the aim of going across the LC, into POK. They were then to be trained there in terrorist activities and thereafter reinfiltrate back into Kashmir and indulge in terror acts, at the behest of the masterminds in Pakistan", the Defence PRO said. "On 23 August 1998, information was received by the Brigade Headquarters, that a large number of youths were seen in the jungles near the Kishenganga River.
"An operation was launched. It was led by (then Captain) and now Brigadier Budhwar. This group of youths was sighted in the lower reaches of the forest. The soldiers held fire, as the terrorists accompanying these youths, had run away taking cover of the thick foliage and vegetation. These young boys on seeing the Indian Army soldiers, shouted for help and immediately surrendered. The troops quickly took control of the situation and helped them to cross the river, which was in spate and escorted them to Gurez, where they were medically examined and were given food, water and warm beds to sleep. Thereafter they were brought to HQ 15 Corps in BB Cantt and were reunited with their parents", Col Emron Musavi said.