Though ‘Operation All Out’ (OAO) has helped Security Agencies to eliminate a large number of militants including some top commanders, but the graph on ground has been showing an upward trend, indicating more youth have been joining militancy after the commencement of OAO. After the 2016 uprising, OAO was started with the consent of Ministry for Home Affairs Government of India with the sole objective to put an end to militancy particularly in South Kashmir, considered as hot bed and safe home for militants. If reliable sources are to be believed, Rs 42 Crore were allocated to different security agencies to carry out operations against active militants. Sources further added that security agencies had sought two months time to tackle militancy problem in South Kashmir, but till date, militancy is on rise despite top militant commanders getting neutralized. The joining of youth into militancy particularly educated lot has worried security agencies. General Officer Commanding Kilo Force recently claimed that joining of Phd Scholar Manan Wani into militancy is an exceptional case, but according to police sources, there are lot of qualified youth, who are active on ground. Some of them who are on police radar include Phd scholar Sabzar Ahmed of Nowpora Litar Pulwama, Dr Saifullah, Sadam Paddar, Zahid Ahmed and Zeenat-ul-Islam. The Hizb Commander Reyaz Naiko according to police sources is the brain child of militant recruitment. “Naiko has motivational power and he has managed to persuade a couple of youth and brought them into the fold of Hizb outfit,” said a police official wishing not to be named. Kashmir Police Chief Mr Munir Ahmed Khan in response to a question told this Reporter that they are chalking out a Rehabilitation Policy for those militants who will shun violence and surrender. “We are drafting the policy. Once it will be completed, we will forward it to authorities,” he added. Director General of Police SP Vaid in his recent couple of tweets said that few militants from Kashmir have returned back to their families and it is a good sign. From past month, majority of the Cordon and Search Operations (CASO) launched in different parts of South Kashmir have not yielded any results for the security agencies. Data reveals that ever since the killing of top Jaish Commander Noor Muhammad Trali at Samboora, the Government Forces conducted series of operations in the same area, but without any success. “A CASO comes at a cost. A huge sum of money gets wasted when a Search Operation fails. CASO is launched after proper intelligence inputs, but from past month, no contact with militants was being established in majority of the areas that were brought under siege,” said an official to news agency CNS adding it is worrisome. He added that Security Agencies are desperate to curb militancy to ensure peaceful upcoming Panchayat elections. “Conducting Panchayat elections is a challenge for us and we are finding ways and means to ensure peaceful elections,” he said. Political analysts believe that killing militants is not going to end militancy in Valley. Even Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti feels and thinks so. "We will get nothing simply out of killing militants. We have killed 200 of them (in 2017). They will recruit 200 fresh (in 2018). How long can we kill militants? This has to stop. Solution lies ultimately in talks. But separatists are not responding positively. We got Sharma appointed as interlocutor. Top national leaders went to their doorsteps. We can't force horse to drink water,” Mehbooba told in State Assembly.