SRINAGAR: Six months after Baramulla was declared as “militancy-free” by the Jammu and Kashmir Police, militants have made a comeback in the north Kashmir district.
Four youths, identified as Uzair Amin Bhat, Aasif Maqbool Bhat, Adnan Ahmad and Junaid Farooq from Baramulla, have joined militant ranks in last six months.
Uzair and Junaid have joined Hizbul Mujahideen while Aasif and Adnan joined Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT).
All the four had gone missing from their homes and released their gun-wielding pictures on social media to announce their entry in militancy. Junaid has done post graduation in English.
A police official said it was a worry that local youths have joined militant groups in north Kashmir. He, however, said the police has managed to bring back some youth, who were missing from their homes and wanted to join militancy. “We have reunited such youth with their families,” he said.
The Baramulla police district was declared “militancy free” on January 23. Over 50 militants were killed in Baramulla in last three years.
Baramulla is a transit point for Pakistani militants infiltrating from across the Line of Control into north Kashmir. It remains a stronghold of separatists.
Dialogue, not gun, can help Kashmir: Farooq
Kashmir is internationally recognised as a dispute between two nuclear armed countries and it should be resolved through dialogue, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah said on Thursday.
“Indian and Pakistan should first talk to each other and later engage in dialogue with the people from both sides of Kashmir,” he said, asserting that there is no alternative to dialogue.