New Delhi: Security forces in Jammu and Kashmir may have gunned down the mastermind of Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF jawans lost their lives, but the bigger concern ahead of them is to keep a check on fresh recruitment of terrorists and further infiltration.

A senior officer told MyNation that those associated with terror outfits have aggressively started misusing the Pulwama incident. Pakistan-backed terror organisations are developing narratives to influence public opinion in the Valley. They are portraying suicide bomber Adil Ahmed Dar and another Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist Hilal Ahmed, who assisted Dar in carrying out the attack, as heroes.

“As part of the radicalisation process for fresh terror recruit, terrorists are giving examplez of Dar and Hilal. Chat forums, social media are the breeding ground for circulating such propaganda. It is important to keep a check immediately,” said the officer.

Even in the past, terrorists have glorified deaths of local terror commanders like Burhan Wani and Mannan Wani to instigate youths to pick guns.

A video of Hilal’s mother crying and praising him for attacking security forces is being circulated to project him as a hero.

After neutralising the JeM commanders, the Army requested the parents of Kashmiri youths to channel their sons into constructive work. They said that the government had formed a very effective surrender policy to bring them back in the mainstream. 

Forces say that they have been able to check fresh recruitments in the Valley but the impact of the Pulwama attack on Kashmiri youth cannot be ignored.

Kanwal Jeet Singh Dhillon, commander of Chinar Corps, Indian Army, had pleaded with mothers of Kashmir to request their sons who have joined terrorism to surrender and get back to the mainstream. Dhillion also warned that anyone who has picked up the gun will be killed and eliminated, unless he surrenders.

Of course, there is not much activity along the Line of Control (LoC) due to the weather. Snowfall and terrain conditions over the past month have kept the infiltrators away, but Pakistan has been pushing in terrorists via other routes into Jammu.

“It has been noticed that non-traditional routes that are from the international border sector and south of Jammu in the area of Samba, Hiranagar and Pathankot sector have emerged, which is the highest point of concern,” said the officer adding that security measures are in place to keep a check on that.

Meanwhile, there is a positive sign for the forces. Over 2,500 Kashmiri youth turned up for the recruitment drive of Indian Armed Forces in the Valley on Tuesday. The recruitment drive was conducted at Gantamulla, Baramulla.

The record turnout definitely discourages terror outfits from spreading venom in the young crowd. Those who applied for the forces see Army jawans Ummer Fayaz, Nazir Ahmad Wani and Aurangzeb as their heroes who died for India.