PTI, SRINAGAR: At least 45 youths from the Kashmir Valley including an MBA and a PhD scholar have joined militancy this year till mid-April, according to officials, as the unusual surge in numbers take the security establishment by surprise.
According to the top brass of the security establishment in the border state, Shopian and Kulgam in south Kashmir have emerged as a major hub by respectively accounting for 12 and 9 of the 45 youths.
The other areas of south Kashmir which have witnessed youths taking to militancy are Anantnag (seven), Pulwama (four) and Awantipura (three). Moreover, unconfirmed reports, which were in the process of verification, suggest that three more from Pulwama had joined militant groups, officials said today.
Similarly, in north Kashmir, one youth from Handwara, two from Kupwara, one each from Bandipora and Sopore and one from Srinagar have disappeared in the recent past and are suspected to have joined militant organisations, they said.
This includes Junaid Ashraf Sehrai, 26, an MBA degree holder from Kashmir university, and son of Mohammed Ashraf Sehrai, who took over as chairman of Tehrek-e-Hurriyat from Syed Ali Shah Geelani. Teherik-e-Hurriyat is a pro-Pakistan amalgam of separatists groups.
The list also includes a 26-year-old PhD scholar Mannan Bashir Wani hailing from Kupwara, officials said. Wani was studying in the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).
According to officials, every funeral of a local militant spawns at least two additions to the ranks of militant groups. The Valley has witnessed killing of of at least 55 militants including 27 locals this year.
