Jammu and Kashmir police on Saturday handed over two students, who allegedly tried to cross over to Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK),to their family. The boys are residents of Baramulla district of the union territory. According to reports, the boys were studying in class 11, and they tried to cross the Line of Control (LoC) to become terrorists. Jammu and Kashmir: Three Terrorists Gunned Down by Security Forces in Encounter on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway.

The youths were handed over to their families after a four-day counselling. Abdul Qayoom, SSP Baramulla, “Two boys studying in class 11 had left their house after one was scolded for not going to tuition. Theywanted to cross LoC and become militants. They were intercepted here, and wewanted to give them a chance, so returned them to their families after 4-daycounselling.” According to a report published in Hindustan Times, the IndianArmy received input of their presence at Uri in Baramulla district on January25. The boys were travelling on a bus from Uri to Baramulla and wereapprehended at Ganthmulla. Last year in December also, Jammu and Kashmirapprehended five youths belonging to Pulwama district who were planning tocross the LoC. Out of these five, four were minors.

Earlier this month, reports surfaced that over 300terrorists were waiting at launchpads in PoK to cross the LoC. Due to this,security forces were put on high alert. According to India Today, the Pakistani Army has recruited about 60 war-toughened Afghan fighters who would be infiltrated across the border to spread terror in the Kashmir Valley.