FOC
It is a far cry from the past when terrorists were eulogised as martyrs by their sympathisers. In a heartening incident, angry villagers of Dul in Doda district refused to allow the burial of an area commander of Lashkar-e-Tayyeba killed in an encounter in their village graveyard. They did not accede space to the body of a Pakistan national who had terrorised the entire district with his mindless killings, rapes and forcible abduction of youth.
The Lashkar commander identified as Akram alias Abu Maaz was a Pakistani national and instrumental in many ruthless murders, extortions, rape of women and forcibly abducting innocent youth and taking them across the border for terrorist training.
Abu Maaz had been on the radar of the Indian security forces for the last five years for his role in creating mayhem in Doda district. Not only this, Jammu and Kashmir Police was also chasing him for his involvement in several criminal cases. A joint patrol of army and Jammu and Kashmir Police was tipped off about the movements of Abu Maaz who was cornered and killed in a fierce encounter in Kishtwar on January 14.
As Pakistan refuses to accept the bodies of their own nationals involved in terrorist activities and killed by Indian security forces in the Valley, the Doda district police took Maaz'sbody to the graveyard at Dul.
As the news of burial of Abu Maaz?a Pak national and a terrorist?spread like a fire in the jungle, a large crowd gathered there to protest the burial. Ultimately his body was taken to an undisclosed destination for burial.
Since the army pulled out all the stops to aid and rehabilitate earthquake victims, they say this change in the people has been discernible and this development has definitely warmed the cockles of the hearts of the armed forces involved in a relentless battle against terrorist groups.
Secondly, the result is there for everyone to see as the success ratio has gone up from four to one to eight to one. In the current month alone, 27 misguided youth have surrendered before the security forces. What was more encouraging is the fact that mothers forced their sons to shun violence and surrender. The wind has started to blow for a change in the Kashmir valley.
