Terrorist groups recruited 700 J&K youths into their fold during the last four years as per statistics released by the Union Home Ministry, a total of 141 terrorists were operating in the state of which 82 are foreigners.The presence of so many malcontents indicates unabated filtration from launch pads across the border, most belong to outfits like Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish and Hizbul Mujahiddeen. In 2022 alone 125 terrorists were killed by security forces in 55 encounters of which 91 were locals and 34 outsiders. Many mercenaries or 'soldiers of fortune' from foreign nations are being 'hired' by our western neighbour to bleed India dry through a thousand cuts. Also the real time input dissemination network and collaboration matrix with international intelligence agencies needs to be strengthened on a war footing to tackle the menace. We can no longer point fingers at disgruntled 'misguided youth' and jihadis for the rise in terrorist cases , fire has to be fought with fire , there is just no other way out.
