UP ATS helping youths shun the path of terror

LUCKNOW: A 24-year-old Allahabad youth, who was radicalised by reading online literature of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and was ready to join the self initiated religious war nearly three months back, is totally changed now. He is more focussed on building his career and helping his family in their business and dreams of a better future for himself and his family. .

At least 32 other youngsters also could not step into the terror world as they were caught in time. Some of them are employed now and others got enrolled in skill development courses or rejoined their studies.

This was made possible by the UP Anti Terror Squad’s de radicalisation programme to counsel youngsters .

The ATS launched helpline numbers on April 26 this year. It got an impressive response, with around 125 calls since its launch but only seven of them were about radicalised youths.

“With seven new cases of de radicalisation, the ATS officials are handling 32 similar cases at present,” said Asim Arun, inspector general (IG) of police, UP ATS. “The new cases were reported from Mathura, Aligarh, Allahabad and Gorakhpur,” he added. A

run said the effort was proving fruitful .

Arun said the ATS members had counselled the radicalised youths with the help of their family members and religious gurus to make them understand the real sense of their religion and human life.

“One of the best cases is of the Allahabad youth, who earlier spent all his time with suspicious people. Now he has joined his family business of medicines and he is doing well ,” he said .

Arun said seven youths out of the 25 previous radicalised youngsters had been employed in different fields on recommendation of the ATS officials according to their qualification and talent.

He said financial aid in the form of their salaries had change their mindset and they were now focussing on progress in their respective fields.

The IG said four of them were doing skill development courses like computer courses, driving, electrician and plumbing work. He said they too would be employed soon after they completed their courses.

In addition to it, six others rejoined school, completing their intermediate and high school to pursue higher studies, he added.

The de radicalisation process is still underway.