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Kashmiri shepherd boy snatches Ak-47 from LeT terrorists
JAMMU, July 30: Displaying extraordinary courage, a Bakerwal youth not only dodged two foreign mercenaries, reportedly belonging to Pakistan's Punjab province and affiliated to Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit but also managed to snatch AK-47 rifle of one of them before reaching a safe location from where he was rescued by a police party in Banihal area of Ramban district.
This is why the bible emphasizes that King David was a shepherd as a boy. The best among them demonstrate responsibility and care for their charges, quick wit and ingenuity, and the martial spirit necessary to overcome murderous foes.
A mobile telephone in possession of the youth, which had earlier been snatched by the militants from his possession but later restored presuming that he had joined their ranks, helped the Bakerwal boy to reach the police custody along with a weapon. The youth is being recommended for the bravery award and his recruitment in police is a possibility, official sources said.

Declining to disclose identity of the youth due to security reasons, police sources said the 22 year old boy, originally a resident of Vijaypur, Reasi, had shifted to Tanji Narh in Banihal area of Ramban along with his family and other Bakerwals in the summer.

While he was grazing cattle in the forests, two foreign militants, who were reportedly new in the area, kidnapped him on the evening of July 20 and asked him to show them safe routes leading to Pir Panjal range. The family lodged a missing report of the youth with Banihal police station on July 24.
I hope the cattle were rescued later, as well.
The youth told police after escaping custody of the militants early this morning that both of them were speaking Punjabi. They were believed to be Pakistani militants of Punjab province affiliated to the LeT outfit. Both of them were equipped with arms, ammunition and explosive devices.

Sources said the militants tried to motivate the kidnapped youth to join their ranks. They also snatched his mobile telephone and removed its battery to ensure that their presence was not tracked by security agencies using signal of the cell phone. Finding him helpless, the youth started posing himself as an associate of the militants. Presuming that the youth had joined militancy, the foreign terrorists restored his telephone and started trusting him.

The militants trekked several forests and finally established their base in Zamandu forest area, which was surrounding by a small habitation few kilometers away and had water facilities.

In the meantime, Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Banihal Abdul Qayoom and SHO Banihal Sajjad Mir under the supervision of DIG Doda-Ramban range Manish Kumar Sinha and SP Ramban Anil Magotra established contact with the youth through his mobile telephone during which he started narrating few details about the militants after getting a chance.

Last evening when one of the militants had gone to collect food in a surrounding habitation and another was taking rest after consuming some drugs, the Bakerwal youth displayed tremendous courage as he removed the weapon (an AK-47 rifle) from under the head of the militant and escaped from the spot.

He trekked several kilometers before reaching Zabban forests where a Banihal police party was already waiting for him. The youth was rescued. As he had dumped the weapon in a forest while fleeing custody of the militants, the Army and police parties reached the spot along with the boy and recovered the weapon.

He was safely brought to Banihal police station.

Sources said the youth disclosed during questioning that the militants were confirmed Pakistanis as they didn't recognize any route and wanted to reach a particular area in Pir Panjal range. He added that one of the militants, who was a commander, was drug addict but was constantly in touch with some militants through his satellite telephone. Both the militants were in possession of one AK rifle and one wireless set each besides a number of magazines, explosive devices, dry fruits, a satellite telephone, drugs and some documents.

Immediately after the escape of the Bakerwal boy, Army and police teams launched massive searches in Zamandu forest area but by then the militants had escaped from the spot well aware of the fact that the escaped boy would have sounded security forces about their whereabouts.

However, security forces and police continued searches in the forests to track down the militants.

Sources said the ultras were believed to be fresh entrants to Banihal, which was evident from the fact that they were not aware of the routes. The route taken by them to reach Banihal was being ascertained by the security agencies, they added.

Meanwhile, security forces and police have appreciated the courage displayed by the boy in dodging the militants and fleeing from their custody along with the weapon. A handsome reward is being sanctioned in his favour and a possibility of his recruitment into police would also be explored, sources said.
Posted by: john frum 2011-08-01
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=327292