Srinagar, May 27 (PTI) Security forces have prevented six youth from joining militancy and arrested seven militant associates of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) outfit in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district, police said on Thursday.

In multiple raids, security forces apprehended six youth who were planning to join militant ranks, a police spokesman said.

He identified the youth as Aqib Ahmad Dobi, resident of Tral, Mufeez Ahmad Zargar, resident of Tral-e-Payeen, Saifullah Ahmad Shah, resident of Takiya Gulab Bagh Tral, Liyaqat Ahmhqad Khanday alias Amir, resident of Amlar Tral, Shoaib Ahmad Bhat, resident of Chersoo Awantipora and Bilal Ahmad Zaboo, resident of Tral-e-Bala.

These youth were "motivated and indoctrinated" to join terrorist ranks, the spokesman said.

Preliminary investigation revealed they were motivated by Pakistan-based self-styled terror commanders to join terrorism and were asked to establish contact with their ground cadre in Awantipora and Tral areas, he said.

The spokesman said the security forces also busted a terror module by arresting seven militant associates linked with JeM.

He identified them as Sajad Ahmad Sheikh, resident of Pinglish Tral, Adil Hussain Sheikh and Mohammad Iqbal Baba, residents of Tral-e-Bala, Yasir Amin, resident of Noorabad Tral-e-Bala, Showkat Ahmad Sheikh and Ubaid Ahmad Mir, residents of Batagund Tral and Adil Rashid Bhat, resident of Kranzbal Tral.

As per police records, the arrested militant associates were motivating youth to join the militant ranks and were also involved in providing logistics, shelter and other kind of support to militants of JeM and helping them in transporting arms/ammunition in Tral and Awantipora areas, the spokesman said.

The arrested terror associates were also in touch with Pakistan-based self-styled terror commanders through different social media platforms, he said, adding that "incriminating material has also been recovered from them".

A case has been registered and investigation has been initiated, the spokesman added.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)