J&K Police adopts healing touch approach in North Kashmir, counsels 10 youths to wean away from militancy: MHA report

The Jammu and Kashmir Police has adopted a healing touch approach towards 13 youths who joined militancy in North Kashmir by allowing 10 of them to go back home after counseling, reveals records available with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). This move by the police force comes in the backdrop where security forces upped their ante against top militants in South Kashmir, said officials.

13 youth who left home in J&K to join militancy this year, were traced by State Police and 10 of them were let off after counseling. The details--- All of them are from North Kashmir,  (withholding their names to secure their identities.)

As per the report, five youth went missing on June 26 from Kupwara, were traced on 28th June in the forest area near the Line of Control. Three were let off after counseling, FIR was lodged against two. Two more youth from Baramulla and Kupwara were traced on 7th July in the forest area of Vadpora and were let off after consoling.

Two more youth went missing on 3rd July from Lolab, traced after five days in Tral, they were also let-off after conselling. Four youth went missing from Kupwara on 2nd August and were traced the next day in Tral. Of them, one was booked, while three were let-off after counseling. As per sources, there are nearly 88 active militants in North Kashmir, out of which 14 are believed to be locals while others are foreign militants.

In his Independence Day speech from the ramparts of the Red Fort on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also reached out to Kashmiris and said Kashmir needs hugs, neither abuses, nor bullets. Security agencies say that weaning away of a single youth from militancy is a big achievement in the valley. According to Jammu and Kashmir Police data, the 13 youths who were brought back were between June-August this year.