Srinagar:
The death of Afzal Talib Shah -- one of the terrorists killed by the security forces in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama on Thursday -- has brought fresh focus on the growing radicalisation of educated youths in the Valley, who are increasingly taking to arms.
Before plunging into militancy, Shah, 23, had enrolled for a post-graduation course in history. He, however, used to attend religious congregations that radicalised him.
He was said to have risen swiftly through the Lashkar-e-Taiba ranks after joining the terrorist group last April.
He underwent arms training under a Lashkar group headed by Qassim -- an operations commander believed to be a Pakistani national -- and was allegedly involved in terror activities in Pulwama town, Tahab and several other parts of the Valley.
But Shah's luck ran out after he went to meet his family at the Asthan Mahalla at Kakpora in Pulwama.
The information got leaked and the area was cordoned off and in the encounter that followed, Shah was killed.
According to estimates of the security agencies, nearly 100 young educated men have given up studies and picked up guns in the Valley over the last few months.