Militants of the Harkat-ul- Jehad Islami outfit are indulging in extortion and kidnapping in Jammu and Kashmir's [Images] newly-formed Kishtwar district.

Reports of terrorist activity in the area were only a false alarm, Additional Deputy Commissioner Riyaz Zargar said.

"Here there are only a few people who are indulging in anti-social activities," he said.

This was corroborated by local residents Girdhar Lal and Rajesh Kumar, who told a visiting correspondent that notorious militant Sherkhan and others were indulging in extortion in the Chatru area.

They claimed their reign of terror was such that even authorities were afraid to step in.

R K Thakur, a prominent person in the area, said though militants had not carried out any act of terrorism in the past year, they had started indulging in anti-social activities.

District Superintendent of Police Mohammed Mumtaz also was of the view that the so-called militants have nothing to do with jehad (holy war). "They are only interested in leading a life of comfort," he said.

Security officials said about 25 to 30 militants were active in the area and are now only indulging in activities like kidnapping unmarried girls and extorting money.

Local legislator Ghulam Mohammed Saruri, however, claimed the situation in the area was not at all bad. "There is no terrorism, no threat to anyone," he said.

Officials urged the local people to assist the security forces in dealing with the problem, but rued that no one came forward.