Srinagar, Feb 1 (PTI) Two youths who had made a bid to cross over to Pakistan to join a militant outfit were arrested and handed over to their families after counselling, the Army said on Saturday.

"It has been the constant endeavour of security forces that the misguided youth be brought back to mainstream and be prevented from joining militancy. In one such endeavour, two youths intending to cross the LoC have been brought back and reunited with their families today," an Army spokesman said.

He said the youths -- both 16 years of age and hailing from south Kashmir -- were influenced by the false narrative and the rhetoric created by anti-national elements to lure them to join a militant outfit.

After the security forces learnt about their intention to cross the LoC, they launched synergised and concerted efforts to apprehend them, the spokesman said.

"Their movements were tracked closely and all our teams were instructed to apprehend them alive so that they can be brought back to mainstream," he said.

The spokesman said the Army received an input of their presence in Uri, near Police Vehicle Check Post (PVCP), and their plan to cross over to the other side.

The youths sensing tight security at Uri were returning to Baramulla to exploit other routes to cross over, he said.

Based on the input, security personnel was deployed at Ganthmulla Colony on the Baramulla-Kupwara national highway and were instructed to exercise absolute restraint so as to apprehend the youths without any harm, the spokesman said.

The two youths had boarded a bus from Uri to Baramulla. Around 2.55 pm, the bus was intercepted and both the youths were apprehended, he said.

The youths have been counselled and have been handed over to their families with an aim to facilitate their joining in mainstream, he said.

Parents of youths were thankful to the security forces for ensuring safety of their children and bringing them back to the mainstream, he 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)