Following the return of footballer-turned-militant Majid Khan, and another unnamed youth in a span of one week, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) announced that its helpline (1441) is open for local militants willing to “surrender to establish contact”, reported The Hindu.
CRPF Inspector General Zulfiquar Hasan was quoted as saying that the CRPF has decided to use the helpline to guide the militants back home. The helpline has reportedly received over 70,000 calls, since its launch last year.
Foreign militants in Kashmir Valley would not be spared but security forces would pull out all the stops to ensure that the local boys who have joined terror groups come back to the mainstream,General Zulfiquar Hasan to The Hindu
The newspaper report also quoted a senior Home Ministry official saying that as of now 200 militants remained active in the Valley. Earlier in the week, J&K DGP SP Vaid said that 190 terrorists had been killed in 2017, of whom 66 were local boys.
Another Youth Shuns Militancy, Returns Home
An unnamed youth, who had joined militant ranks, on 20 November shunned the path of violence and returned home in south Kashmir following an appeal by his parents, police said.
The development comes three days after footballer-turned-militant Majid Khan laid down arms and returned home following an appeal by his mother which was doing rounds of social media last week.
Responding to the appeal of parents one more youth, who had joined militants, returned home in south Kashmir.Police Spokesperson
He refused to give details of the youth, saying the security and safety of the individual concerned was paramount
It is yet to be ascertained if the youth in question is Ashiq Hussain Bhat – who made headlines this week after his family released a video asking him to return.
(With inputs from The Hindu, PTI)
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