"What we know so far is that militants are using teenagers to attack the Panchayat members. This has been the pattern in two of the four attacks that have taken place since September last year," a top police official told PTI.
Panchayat members were killed in September last year in Pattan area of the district. One Panch was killed in Sopore area this month while a woman Panch was critically injured in a separate militant attack.
The official said it was difficult for security agencies to track down the assailants as they were not working full time with militants or their over ground workers.
"These boys are used as hit-men for monetary considerations. They are provided with weapons to carry out the attack and then go back to normal lives," he said.
"However, they are not active full time with the militancy. It seems that they are called upon only when required," he added.
The police official said the description of the boys, who carried out the twin attacks in Sopore this month, indicated that they were youngsters, probably teenagers.
"These boys feel powerful with a gun or pistol in hand ...They have no idea what they are doing," he said.
The officer said former militants were being used by militants to act as conduit between the ultras and the hit-men.
