A former militant, who had crossed over to Pakistan occupied Kashmir 15 years ago on Monday returned home and surrendered before police in border Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir.

Identified as Abdul Gani, 36, of Mehrot near Surankote, sources said that he had retuned to the state along with his wife Kousar Big, 32, and three minor children. The children included Fatima, 6, Irfan, 4, and Abran, 2.

He had joined Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) in 2000 and crossing over to PoK for arms training, he had married Kousar Big in 2008. He along with his family entered India via Nepal.

On Sunday afternoon, he along with his family surrendered before police at Surankote police station. He has been taken into custody by the police.

The previous Omar Abdullah government had formulated the policy for return and rehabilitation of misguided Kashmiri youth who wish to return home from terrorist training camps across the LoC to lead a peaceful life. Hundreds of former militants who have surrendered so far have come via Nepal along with their families. However, none of them, according to officials, is eligible for rehabilitation package as they did not return home through routes specified by government.

The specified routes for their rehabilitation include cross LoC travel points at Poonch and in Uri, besides Indira Gandhi international airport at Delhi.

With many a security agencies raising eye brows over such a large number of militants using Nepal route to enter India, the latter had intensified vigil at its border with the neighboring country to check such elements.

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