Timely intervention by security forces and counselling of three youths from Tral, including a teenager, helped authorities persuade them against joining militant ranks in Jammu and Kashmir and arrest two 'sympathisers' of terrorists.
Sources said that police had received secret information that some youths at Tral in south Kashmir's Pulwama district were on the verge of joining a terror outfit.
Police said the trio had contacted terrorists active in their area through two sympathisers who have since been arrested.
Security forces acted swiftly and rounded up Iliyas Amin Wani, 21, Abrar Ahmad Reshi, 17, both residents of Mandoora village in Tral, and Ubaid Ahmad Shah, 19, of Shaldraman village in Tral.
The three youths were taken to Tral police station, counselled against joining terrorists' ranks, and later handed over to their parents.
Meanwhile, Rizwan Ahmad Wani and Rayees Ahmad Chopan of Mandoora village were arrested on charge of motivating the Kashmiri youth to join terrorists' ranks.
Police alleged they were also providing logistics, shelter and other support to terrorists of Lashkar-e-Toiba and Hizbul Mujahideen in Panner, Mandoor, Chankitrar, Ratsuna in Tral area.
An FIR has been registered against the duo at Tral police station.
( With inputs from IANS )