Suhail A Shah

Anantnag, July 17

A high-level meeting of top Army and police officers was held in Kulgam town on Tuesday to “get acquainted with the ground realities” and find ways and means to tackle the rising graph of militancy in south Kashmir.The meeting comes amid a rise in militancy in south Kashmir. As per official figures, a total of 70 youth have picked up gun in the four districts of south Kashmir till June-end.The meeting held at the office of the Superintendent of Police in Kulgam was attended by General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 15 Corps Lt Gen AK Bhatt, Director General of Police SP Vaid and Inspector General of Police SP Pani.Following the meeting, the officers held a brief interaction with mediapersons.Vaid told the media that the meeting was held to get acquainted with the ground realities.“The aim was to meet the officers at the ground level and take stock of and review the ongoing situation. We wanted to assess whatever help was needed from the headquarters to make the situation better in the Kashmir valley,” Vaid said.Asked about the rising militancy and repeated infiltration bids on the Line of Control, Vaid asked Lt General Bhatt to answer the question. “In an ongoing operation, an infiltration bid has been foiled,” Lt General Bhatt said.Asked how the graph of rising militancy could be brought down and the youth who have picked up arms could be brought back to the mainstream, the GOC said the purpose of the meeting was to discuss all these things. “All of us had assembled here to ponder over all these things,” the GOC said.90 youths have picked up gun this yearOf the 90 youths who have picked up arms in the Kashmir valley since January this year, around 70 belong to south Kashmir. Anantnag has the lowest share of militant recruits at 12, while Shopian has the highest at 21. Kulgam district has a total of 16 youths who have picked up arms this year, while 20 youths have joined militant ranks in Pulwama district.