Srinagar, March 29: A mother in Khanyar locality of the Kashmir Valley on Thursday made fervent appeals for her son to shun militancy and return home.

Maimoona's son, who is a 10th standard student, had gone for prayers and never returned home, she said.  "My son went for prayers & didn't return home.'On being asked how she got to know of it", she said. "I saw his photo on internet, everyone in the family was shocked", she added.

On being asked as to how she got to know that her son had joined militancy, the mother said she saw his photo on the Internet. "Everyone in the family was shocked."

Militancy has been prevalent in the valley since the late 1990s, with youth picking up arms in the name of fighting oppression by the Indian Army.