In a joint briefing of security forces in Srinagar, Lt Gen Sarabjit Singh Dhillon, Commander of the 15 Corps said that 83% of all youth who start with throwing stones for Rs 500 end up picking the gun and therefore needed to be stopped. He went on to provide even more chilling statistics for the parents of “the misguided youth” to consider; Majority of all youth taking up guns are eliminated within the first year of operation, “Shelf-life of a terrorist who picks up a weapon is very short,” said the Army officer while encouraging “boys who had gone astray” to lay down arms and return to mainstream. “7 per cent of terrorists who pick up guns are eliminated in the very first week, 9 per cent are killed in the first month, 36 per cent in the first 6 months and 64 per cent in first one year.” Lieutenant General Dhillon said.
