Desperate families appeal for return more Kashmiri youths attracted towards militant ranks

The saga of young men being attracted towards militancy in Kashmir continues unabated. A recent addition to the list is a youngster named Bilal Ahmad Shah from Kupwara who has reportedly joined Hizbul Mujahideen.
The news of 27-year-old Bilal joining the outfit was typically announced by circulation of a picture on social media in which he can be seen holding a gun.
In a picture that went viral on Thursday, Bilal is also given an alias named Shahbaz.
Bilal was missing since March 2, when he had told his brother that he was going to be travelling to Ladakh. After that, the family didn’t hear from him. The household has seen tragedy in the past as well.
Bilal’s father Shams-u-din Shah was also a militant and was killed by forces in an encounter in 1992. The desperate family is appealing for him to return home.
His sister was quoted by news agencies in Kashmir making an emotional plea. “The family is devastated to see him holding the gun. I appeal to him to please listen to me and shun this path that snatched our father from us when we were kids,” said Sakeena Akther, Bilal’s sister.
Bilal’s entry into a militant group from North Kashmir isn’t the first one. Earlier a PhD student, Manwan Wani, from Lolab area also joined Hizb. His announcement also took people and his family by surprise, who has been appealing for his return.
The Jammu and Kashmir government has recently revealed that 280 youths have joined militancy in Kashmir in last three years with 126 young boys joining militant ranks in the Valley just last year.
The trend of young boys getting attracted to militant groups increased during the Kashmir unrest in 2016 which was triggered by the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen poster boy Burhan Wani.