Back from militancy to good old football
Footballer-turned-Lashkar militant Majid Arshid Khan walked into an army camp in Anantnag on Thursday night and surrendered with his arms and ammunition. The college student, a goalkeeper for his local team, is believed to have turned to militancy after a close friend was killed in an encounter.
Police sources told CNNNews18 on condition of anonymity that Majid was unlikely to face any strict punishment as the government had decided to take a “lenient view” of the case.
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, who is trying to reach out to the stray youth, said that she understands the predicament of the youths who had taken to militancy and wish to return to the mainstream but the "fear of social stigma" clouds their judgement. "A mother’s love has prevailed,’’ she said in a tweet.
The surrender follows appeals by his parents on television and social media asking him to surrender. There was a sense of relief among Majid's friends when they learnt about his safe return. "It is great to hear that he would be now serving his parents and pursuing his passion for football," said a relative who did not wish to be named.
Director General of Police S P Vaid urged all women in Jammu and Kashmir to appeal to their sons, who have joined militancy, to shun the path of violence and return home. That does not seem like happening too soon but at least a beginning has been made.
Majid was presented before the media at a press conference here on Friday. He surrendered before the First Rashtriya Rifles and is currently in the custody of Victor Force in Awantipora.