NEW DELHI: The intelligence data, sourced from Army, the Police and the Central Para-military forces on youths taking to militancy in the Valley is known. What is not known is the higher number of advertisements for recruitment to the Army has drawn a widespead response, notwithstanding militant activity and 179 personnel being drafted from one of the worst- hit Bandipora alone.
Data now show that 15 youths each have been selected for various posts from Tangdhar and Gurez, Kargil. But even this does not give the complete picture.
Braving snowfall and inclement weather, more than 3500 responded for the post of 111 jawans for the Territorial Army at Gantamulla camp in Baramulla district of J&K held from February 19, soon after the Pulwama attack.
In May 2018 6500 and 1000 youth attended recruitment tests at Bandipora and Tangdhar for had 179 and 15 seats, respectively. Gurez saw 775 applying for 15 Army posts while 18 out of 750 who turned up at Kargil, were selected. This does not include recruitments for J&K Light Infantry Regiment at Poonch. Major General SB Asthana (Retd), Security Analyst sees it as “the desire of youth to escape violence getting out of violence”The number of youths joining militancy has also risen with 128 youngsters taking up arms in 2017, and 209 in 2018. So far only, 3 are known to have joined militancy this year.