Poonch: Army on Tuesday apprehended a 17-year-old student and recovered a pistol from his possession from Mendhar area of this district while he was on way to Kashmir valley to join militant ranks.

The youth, a student of government degree college Surankote, had come to Medhar from Surankote and was going to Kashmir to join the militant ranks as per defense source.

The student, whose name is being kept secret being a juvenile, was apprehended by the army’s 37 and 16 Rashtriya Rifles and other units of the army while acting on specific information.

He was apprehended while he was travelling a passenger sumo vehicle. A pistol and some rounds were recovered from his possession, the sources said.

The army has also apprehended his father, a teacher by profession, for further investigation, they said.

“The youth is being handed over to police station Gursai for further investigation,”  the sources said.(gns)