Army’s move to bury slain militants prevented local youth from picking up guns: Source

SRINAGAR: The Army’s new practice of not handing over the remains of killed Kashmiri militants to their family members during the Covid-19 pandemic and burying them away from home has worked in its favour. 

A senior Army officer said the pratice has prevented local youths from picking guns at “janazas” (funerals) of militants.

The locals have also supported the move, he said. 

Seeing the positive results, the Army now wishes to continue the practice.

“The conspirers were using such occasions to run not only their recruitment drives but also to mobilise anti-state sentiments,” the Army officer said.  

“We had found that a minimum of two to three youth used to join militancy from these janazas and under the influence of charged-up speeches by over ground workers (OGWs), they were being brainwashed and pushed towards picking up arms,” the officer added. 

In such cases, the security forces had to apply various means to control or disperse the crowd. A senior J&K Police official said the idea of burying the bodies were mooted in March after a halt in anti-terror operations.

“Considering the Covid-19 pandemic, the counter-terror operations were stopped for a brief period so that if a militant was killed, no congregation took place. But the immediate incidents forced us to make a proposal and forward it to the MHA.” said the cop. 

The plan was approved and implemented by April 15 and by that time, the burial sites were earmarked the police officer added.