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Tech savvy militants unleash a new psychological warfare on social media

Police sources said youth between 18 to 21 years are joining militants in the valley particularly in Tral-Pulwama belt of south Kashmir

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A new breed of tech-savvy militants have unleashed a new psychological warfare on the social media to glorify militancy in an apparent bid to attract more young recruits in the restive Jammu and Kashmir. After posting pictures on the Facebook, a video of heavily armed militants wearing Indian army fatigues have gone viral in the Kashmir valley.

A 1.45 minute video shows a group of around a dozen local home grown militants led by one of the most wanted commanders of south Kashmir Burhan sitting in an orchard while Jihadi songs are playing in the backdrop.

Speaking in chaste Kashmiri, the militants carrying AK assault rifles are seen joking with each other while some are posing for cameras by taking positions and point guns in a true bollywood style.

Burhan, the commander operating in Tral area, is seen playing with his phone while his colleagues are asking another militant to take his pictures too.

The video, which is being circulated on the WhatsApp across Kashmir has given sleepless nights to the security agencies which fear that militants are deliberately trying to unleash the psychological warfare using social media to glorify militancy in the state.

It is for the first time unmasked militants are openly posing for cameras and posting pictures and videos on social networking sites and WhatsApp.

On Facebook pages like Tral Tigers, Robin Hood of Tral and Lovers of Rizwan Bhai have sprung up on the social media showing pictures of the militants donning army fatigues and carrying automatic weapons.

"Apart from glorifying militants, the boys who are on the fringe weighing to be or not to be, would be persuaded to take the plunge. It is very dangerous not only for them but for all of us. There will be bloodshed," MM Khajooria, former director general of police, told dna.

Police sources said youth between 18 to 21 years are joining militants in the valley particularly in Tral-Pulwama belt of south Kashmir.

However, the BJP which is an alliance partner of ruling People's Democratic Party exuded confidence that the security forces would be able to eliminate these militants like they have done before.

"Extremists showing their faces with AK 47 riffles is not new. Our security forces are capable to deal with these situations. Security forces have earlier eliminated these ultras and this time too they will take care of these elements," said Khalid Jahangir, BJP spokesman in Kashmir.

Surge in numbers
Police sources reveal that local recruitment shot up to 70 in 2014 in the Kashmir valley. And around 55 new recruits have joined till June this year. There were mere 12 new local recruits in 2012 which shot up to 17 in 2013. Officials say a big chunk of new recruits are highly educated.

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