SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir police chief S P Vaid on Tuesday said three more youth, who had taken up guns, have surrendered before the security forces, taking the number of militants who have surrendered in recent past to 10.
“Three more Kashmiri youth, who had joined militancy, have given up violence and returned back,” Vaid told New Indian Express.
He said the youth have returned back in response to the call of their families.
The DGP said seven more youth had already given up militancy and returned back in the recent past.
“With three more youth returning to mainstream, 10 youth, who had taken up guns, have given up path of violence and militancy so far,” he said.
The process of surrenders started on November 17 after the footballer-turned-militant Majid Khan nicknamed Ben Stokes surrendered before the security forces following passionate video appeal from his mother.
“Come back...come back and kill us (parents) then go back. Whom you left me with? Majid come fast for the sake of your ailing father, who is suffering from blood pressure,” Majid’s mother, Ayesha Khan had said in a heart wrenching video that went viral in Kashmir.
After Majid Khan’s surrender, mothers of many youth, who had taken up guns and joined militancy, also appealed their militant sons to give up militancy and return.
DGP Vaid said 10 militants, who have surrendered so far, hailed from south and north Kashmir.
Barring Majid, the identity of nine other militants, who surrendered before the security agencies, has not been revealed.
The DGP once again appealed the local militants to surrender and join the mainstream.
The security officials have been repeatedly appealing the local militants to lay down weapons and join the mainstream for their safe and securie future.
The CRPF has also set up a helpline named, “Madadagar” to facilitate surrender of the local militants.
The PDP-BJP coalition government in the State is formulating the new surrender policy for rehabilitation of the surrender militants.