At least eleven youth have been reported missing from their homes in the Kashmir valley in the first twenty days of May 2022.
Speaking to The Kashmiriyat, various families reported the missing reports of their kin from parts of the Kashmir valley. The families also issued an emotional appeal asking their kin to return home.
Official Sources confirming that they have received the missing reports said that they are trying their best to trace the youth.
In the recent past, Kashmir has reported several cases of youth going missing from their homes- many of whom join militant ranks in the valley.
The overall number of militants has reduced considerably, however, the trend of local youth joining militant ranks is not being seen as a good sign. Officials have appealed to the local youth to stay away from militancy. In fact, many youths were stopped by the Government force personnel from joining militant ranks.
Meanwhile, the number of foreign militants in Kashmir has shown an upward drastically in the first three months of 2022 (January-March). With an active strength of 82, Militant outfit Lashkar e Taiba has the highest number of active militants in the region, Jaish e Muhammad has 41 and Hizb ul Mujahideen 38.
Out of the total 172, south Kashmir has the highest presence of active militants. According to the official data available with The Kashmiriyat south Kashmir has 87 militants, and North 65 and 16 militants are active in Central Kashmir.
The data also states that 79 of the active militants are foreigners while 93 are local militants. Further, it said that 15 local youth had gone missing in the first three months of the ongoing year.
Among several youth who had gone missing in April was 18-year-old youth Natish Ahmed Wani, son of Shakeel Ahmed Wani, a resident of Babdum Khaniyar area of Srinagar who had gone missing from his home on 16 April. On April 25, he was killed during an encounter in Pulwama.
In the month of May, The Kashmiriyat has received eleven missing reports. The details are as follows:
Identified as Afreen Altaf Malik and Shakir Ahmed Waza, both residents of Trenz, the duo has gone missing from their homes on May 17, 2022.
Speaking to The Kashmiriyat, the family of the missing youth said that on 17 May, Zahid Ahmed Chopan, son of Ghulam Mohammed Chopan left his home in Keegam area of Shopian and did not return back.
The family of 15-year-old Muzammil Wani son of Mushtaq Ahmed Wani, a resident of Kutpora Shopian said that Muzammil has been missing from 09 May, 2022.
Families of the duo speaking to The Kashmiriyat said that Aabid Hussain Shah, a resident of Pulwama’s Monghama ad Irshad Ahmed Mir of Nehalpora Baramulla went missing from their homes on 09 May 2022.
Reports said that 21-year-old Samir Malik, son of Mohammed Sadiq Malik, a resident of Batote area has gone missing from his home since 11th of May.
Reports said that 21-year-old Samir Malik, son of Mohammed Sadiq Malik, a resident of Batote area has gone missing from his home since 11th of May.
Speaking to The Kashmiriyat a family member of Tawseef, a son of Ghulam Nabi Bhat said that he left his home on Sunday morning and has not returned 08 May, 2022.
Locals said that Abdul Rasheed Magray, aged 34 went missing on May 13.
Locals told The Kashmiriyat that on 14 May, Fazil Ahmed Bhat, son of Nazir Ahmed Bhat left his home in Drubgam area of Pulwama and did not return back and his phone is unreachable since then.