In a huge reconciliatory gesture towards misled youth in Kashmir, the Indian Army and the Mehbooba Mufti government have decided that they will not lodge any criminal case against the footballer who after a week of his joining Lashkar-e-Taiba terror group, returned at the request of his parents. The Army also promised to help footballer Majid Irshad Khan, 20, to pursue his passion and build a career in the sport.

The soft approach to deal with youth joining militant ranks is a major shift from the militaristic policy that the Security Forces have been following to fight insurgency in Kashmir for the last one year. The change is an indicator that CM Mufti has successfully persuaded New Delhi to be more sensitive towards agitated youth who are picking up guns in Kashmir. Mufti had been persistently asking Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP) and central forces to capture local Kashmiri militants alive rather than kill them in encounters.

On Friday, both GOC Victor Force Major General BS Raju and IGP Kashmir Muneer Khan said Majid will not be tried for joining the terror outfit.

“Having facilitating his return, we want to assure that we will press no charges against him and that he will be able to get back to normal life very soon. I also want to assure that we will provide him all the opportunities to return to the mainstream to pursue his career as well as his sporting talent,” the GOC said. He also appealed to the families of other militants to urge their wards to return.

IGP Khan said that surrendered local militants were part of the Kashmiri society and had a right to live a dignified life. The militants who wish to surrender, will not face any sort of harassment and they will be secured, he said.

However, it is not clear how the security forces will protect Majid whose life is now exposed to the direct threat by Lashkar, which is known for killing its renegades. Soon after Majid’s return, Lashkar Kashmir chief Mehmood Shah issued a statement claiming his mother was “forced by the security agencies” to persuade her son to quit Lashkar. The terror group said they allowed Majid to return home since he was “the only guarantor of his household.”

A police officer said it would be challenging for Majid to lead a normal life because “terrorists could carry out any mischief against him and then hold security forces responsible for it.” Incidentally, Lashkar in its statement on Friday warned, “If Majid is martyred by police under the disguise of fake encounter, then the sons of the very police officers will bear severe consequences.”

Majid’s father Irshad Ahmad Khan told TOI on Saturday his son had not returned home yet. “I don’t think there is any danger. We expect him to return any time now. His mother is eagerly waiting for him,” Khan said.