The anti-terrorist squad (ATS) of Uttar Pradesh has started a ‘ghar wapsi’ programme to deradicalise the ISIS sympathisers in the state with the help of family, friends and religious leaders
Khushboo Agrahari
Keeping in mind the influence of ISIS sympathisers on youth, the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has rolled out a de-radicalsATS has unveiled a 12-point strategy for the de-radicalisation programme and also announced a helpline number for parents and families who suspect their children or people known to them are getting radicalised online.
The huge exploitation of the technology such as the internet has allowed terrorists to far wide reach. The security forces noticed terror outfits targeting youth aged between 15 and 25 years through deliberate strategies into committing acts of violence.
The main focus of the campaign is to divert the savagery mindset of the lured youth from committing acts of barbarity. “The initiative aims at
helping families in de-radicalising youngsters, who are often targeted by terror operatives who radicalise them online and use them in carrying out terror activities. We will lend support to such families as part of our de-radicalisation programme,” an ATS official said.
Two control room numbers of ATS – 0522-2304588 and 9792103156 – have also been set up which people can contact for help and the families have been assured that the identities of such youths and their families will be
kept secret.
The IG ATS said police will take the help of not only clerics, parents, family members but also friends of such youths and make them understand religion in the right perspective.
The de-radicalisation programme includes the interaction session with police to gain the confidence of imprudent persons and the process will be last over one year. It will involve the misguided youngsters” friends and religious heads during the counselling.
To check their activity, surprise visits also have been planned for such lads and also UP ATS will help out these youth in education and employment by recommending their names under various government schemes.
“As there is no guarantee that the youth may not be radicalised again, the ATS them will keep their details with and keep checking their activities randomly. The programme aims at showing the right path to the misguided youngsters through counselling,” the UP ATS said.
“Presently, de-radicalisation of at least 25 youth from various districts of Uttar Pradesh is already on,” IG ATS, Asim Arun said, adding these youths belong to seven districts including Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Bijnor and Muzaffarnagar. “The ATS is keeping a tab on online activities and some families would be approached for the de-radicalisation process, if required,” he said. Further, he added, “Keeping in mind that they were being influenced by radical propaganda, efforts are being made with the help of their families for their de-radicalisation”.
The UP ATS had seized some important documents after the March 7 encounter in Lucknow in which a
suspected terrorist belonging to an ISIS module was killed. Following this, the probe was expanded to five states. The ATS had received information that the ISIS had been expanding its network in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab and Bihar and some youth from these states had joined the terror
organisation.
Six others were detained for questioning and during interrogation, it was revealed that their role is negligible and in the absence of adequate proof they were not arrested, they said. The arrested persons had tried to brainwash and subsequently push them on the path of terror. “Many a time, some families feel that one of their members has tread the wrong path and may subsequently opt for the terror route. But they feel helpless. Hence, the families are advised to approach the ATS Control Room at the earliest. The UP Government and UP Police stand with them,” an ATS statement said.
Efforts will also be made to keep the identity of the misguided youngster and also the counselling
process secret. The programme will be considered to be over after the marriage of the misguided youngster or when his employment has been ensured. “These youngsters will never be used for gathering intelligence or trapping terrorists,” the ATS said.
Noted jurist and co-founder of World Human Security Studies, Pamarty Venkataramana observed, “It is as important to monitor mushrooming number of madrasas, masjids and gulf returnees as it is to maintain such a roster. The statistics of crime and treason reveal the nexus between misguided youth and misogyny rampant among largely illiterate mullahs who administer a parallel government of education, indoctrination and motivating incitement against the unified nation. A Uniform Civil Code shall go a long way in the social re-engineering sought tobe done by able State administration in union with the Union Government!”
