Message Board

Is US using the Kashmir issue to try and get a permanent foothold in South Asia? Post your views

New Delhi: In an alarming development in the militancy-hit Jammu and Kashmir, the old trend of local boys exfiltrating across the border has increased in the past two months triggering speculations of rise in terrorist-related activities in coming months.

According to highly-placed state government sources, it has been confirmed that several local boys had exfilitrated into Pakistan-occupied Kashmir through various routes in Poonch, Doda in Jammu region and Kupwara in Kashmir province.

The sources said some of the Kashmiri boys, who were arrested recently by the security forces, had said during questioning that over-ground workers of militant organisations like Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed had been able to "brainwash" several local youth for undergoing arms training in PoK.

It may be mentioned that the state government had directed the police and security agencies recently to crack down on over-ground workers.

The sources said the state police had been asked to keep a tight vigil on disappearance of youth in the localities.

Exfiltration of local youths had come to a virtual halt in mid-90s.

Meanwhile, according to the recent threat assessment, Gulabgarh, Thanamandi and Surankote areas in Jammu region and Tral, Shopian and parts of Kupwara of Kashmir region had been termed as "potential areas" where militant presence had increased every day.

PTI