2 Militant Recruits Surrender After Family’s Emotional Pleas

SRINAGAR- Two newly recruited militants surrendered before the state forces during a cordon and search operation in Tujjar area of north Kashmir's Sopore on Thursday, officials said.

“On a specific input regarding presence of militants in Shalpora Tujar Sharief area of Sopore, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Police, 22RR and 179Bn CRPF in the area,” a police spokesperson said.

During the search operation, he said, as the presence of militants got ascertained they were given opportunity to surrender.

“Family members of the trapped (militants) were called to the encounter site to motivate and persuade them to surrender,” he said, adding, “Due to the great efforts of police, security forces and repeated surrender appeals by their family members, eventually they surrendered before the joint forces”

News agency GNS identified the duo as Abid Mushtaq Dar son of Mushtaq Ahmad Dar and Mehraju-din Dar son of Farooq Ahmad Dar, both residents of Wadoora Payeen Bomai Sopore.

Meanwhile, IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar congratulated their families. “He further appealed militants to surrender and start living a normal life. Our full support will be available to such militants who lay down their arms and surrender,” the spokesman quoted

him as saying in the statement.

He further said that during the encounters police always gives them opportunity to surrender “as they are our own people.”