J&K gears up against ‘bedroom jihadis’

SRINAGAR: After years of fighting armed militants with bullets and brickbats, security agencies in Jammu and Kashmir are now facing a new enemy, ‘bedroom jihadis’, who manipulate social media from the comfort of their homes to spread rumours and influence the youth.

It’s a new battleground and a new battle, say senior officers. Far removed from conventional weaponry and conventional fighting zones of the warren of narrow streets and forests, these new age jihadis use computers and smartphones to wage war from just about anywhere, in Kashmir or outside, safe inside their homes or out on the streets, from a nearby café or even just a convenient roadside.

An immediate worry for security agencies is the Amarnath Yatra that starts on June 29. Armed with access to platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter, there are fears that the new band of jihadis could instigate communal riots in the Valley, ahead of the 40-day Yatra.

“It’s a virtual battleground where a bloody war is fought, but with words. However, this has an impact on the young minds,” said a senior police officer.

Many officers felt that in the coming days rumours can be floated in Jammu, leaving authorities with little time to react. “Anyone while sitting on his bed or sofa can plant rumours in one of the thousand chat groups and the entire state can plunge into communal divide,” said a police officer. The social chat groups are active not just in Jammu and Kashmir. They are seeing participation from youngsters in the national capital, rest of the country and abroad as well.