Express News Service
NEW DELHI: In a gesture sending a reassuring message to youth who have joined various terror groups in the Kashmir Valley, the Indian Army on Monday celebrated the homecoming of a group of youths who were rescued before they could be taken across the Line of Control to Pakistan Occupied Kashmir to get trained in violence and come back to join a terrorist group 23 years ago. Nineteen of the 23 youths attended the programme.
The Indian Army said, “On 23 Aug 1998, 23 young boys, mostly juveniles from Ganderbal district, were lured and coerced by local terrorists to join terrorist ranks. Most of them were from extremely humble backgrounds with no ability to sustain the pressures by the nexus network.”
To commemorate this day, an event on Tuesday was organised at Manasbal lake, which was attended by the rescued individuals, along with their families.
Recalling the incident, the Army said, “Over a period of 10 days from August 4-14 1998, Bambar Khan, with the help of local over ground workers, had collected these 23 young boys, all below 18 years of age, either by force or through radicalization and had kept them in the dense jungles of Ajas.” Thereafter, the group moved across the Shamsha Bari range into Gurez Tulail Valley, with the aim of going across the LoC, into POK.
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“These young boys were being compelled into a path of militancy through false promises by a fellow Kashmiri Bambar Khan, a resident of Ganderbal, into joining terrorist tanzeems and were being taken to POK,” said the Army.
For more than a fortnight, they were brutally tortured, blindfolded and kept inside a forested area without food and water. Yet, they had the will and deep desire for a free and dignified life. Finally, the Army learnt about it and rescued them.
They were to be trained in terrorist activities and thereafter reinfiltrate back into Kashmir and indulge in terror acts, at the behest of the masterminds in Pakistan.
On August 23, 1998, the group of 23 young Kashmiri boys was apprehended, while attempting to cross the LoC. Information was received by the Brigade Headquarters that a large number of youths were seen in the jungles near the Kishenganga River.
An operation was launched. It was led by (then Captain) and now Brigadier Budhwar. This group of youths was sighted in the lower reaches of the forest.
As per the Army, “The soldiers held fire, as the terrorists accompanying these youths had run away taking cover of the thick foliage and vegetation. These young boys, on seeing the Indian Army soldiers, shouted for help and immediately surrendered.”
The troops quickly took control of the situation and helped them to cross the river, which was in spate and escorted them to Gurez, where they were medically examined and given food, water and warm beds to sleep. Thereafter they were brought to HQ 15 Corps in BB Cantt and reunited with their parents.
The rescued boys are now leading normal, happy lives. They are married and have families of their own. A few of them also joined government jobs.
Lieutenant General YK Joshi, Army Commander, Northern Command, felicitated the rescued individuals and interacted with their family members.
Speaking on the occasion, the Army Commander said that youth on the path of terrorism will be given a second chance to come back and integrate with their families and join the mainstream and lead a normal life, like these individuals had done two decades back.
He also reiterated that parents have an important role to play in ensuring that their children do not follow the path of violence, which only brings pain and misery, not only for the ones who join terrorism, but also their immediate and extended families. He said the Army is steadfast in its resolve of ethical conduct and ensuring full support to those who want to leave the path of violence.
Lieutenant General DP Pandey, GOC Chinar Corps, and other senior civil and military officials also attended the function.