NEW DELHI: In an attempt to discourage militants from surrendering at the behest of their parents' emotional pleas, separatists in Kashmir circulated an audio of a mother urging her son to die fighting security forces rather than give up. The recorded audio clip, which went viral, is a last phone conversation between a mother and her militant son who was killed in an encounter with security forces at Qazigund area in Kulgam district of south Kashmir on Saturday.Reports said Zahid Ahmad Mir alias Hashim was a 16-year-old who joined Hizbul Mujahideen terror group two years ago. A resident of Okey in Kulgam, Mir was involved in the killing of policeman Fayaz Ahmad on Eid ul Azha last month. During the phone call, Mir informs his mother that the Superintendent of Police had asked him and four other militants trapped in a house to surrender. "SP has been trying to persuade us to surrender, but we won't," Zahid is heard telling his mother.Unlike other Kashmiri parents who generally ask their militant children to surrender and return home, Zahid's mother encourages him to embrace "martyrdom". "No, no, why will you surrender? Tell him you will not surrender...If you get chance to flee, flee. But, do not even think of surrendering," she s heard saying.In the nine-minute-long audio clip, the mother also asks him about the owner of the house, "Is the owner strong or weak? What is he asking? Ask him whether you can fight from his house or not?" In a firm voice, she tells her son, "You have chosen the path of God and you have taken up arms for God. May your martyrdom be accepted," adding, "You were entrusted to me from God, so I am sending you back to Him. May He accept your sacrifice. May you succeed in your mission. May God give you courage."During the conversation, the mother remains stoic while a young voice, presumably her daughter, breaks down. But all the family members whom Zahid spoke to on phone, supported his "martyrdom".ADGP (law & order) Munir Khan told media that it was a one-off thing. "In most cases, the families ask us to motivate their sons to surrender but this seems to be a new strategy of militants to circulate such clips on social media," he said. J&K police always offers local militants a chance to surrender and in most operations, seek the help of families to persuade their sons to yield. "But we are not always successful," Khan said.

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