SRINAGAR: The militancy violence and law and order incidents in Valley declined significantly and 174 police and security men and 110 civilians were killed in militancy violence in Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of J&K state into two Union Territories (UTs) by the centre on August 5, 2019, according to police data.
While sharing figures about pre and post Article 370 security scenarios in the militancy-hit Valley, police said 174 police and security men were killed in militancy violence in Kashmir in a three years period from August 5, 2019 till August 4, 2022.
During the three years period, pre Article 370 revocation (5-8-2016 to 4-8-2019) 290 police and security men were killed in the militancy violence.
On August 5, 2019, centre scrapped J&K’s special status and bifurcated J&K into two UTs – Jammu and Kashmir (with legislature) and Ladakh (without legislature).
The police data further state that as against 930 militancy incidents in three years before Article 370 revocation, 617 militancy-related incidents were reported in the Valley in three years post Article 370 abrogation.
It states that civilian killings also witnessed a decline in the three-year period post Article 370 revocation.
“110 civilians were killed in three years post Article 370 revocation while 191 civilians died in militancy violence in three years before Article 370 abrogation,” reveals the police data.
The data further reveals that there was no civilian casualty in the law and order situation in the Valley after Article 370 revocation.
“In three years before Article 370 revocation, 124 civilians were killed in law and order situations in the Valley,” it states.
There has also been a big drop in law and order incidents in the last three years.
As against 3686 law and order incidents in Valley in three years before Article 370 revocation, only 438 law and order incidents were reported in Kashmir in three years post Article 370 abrogation, reveals the data.
The authorities had imposed a security clampdown in Jammu and Kashmir ahead of Article 370 revocation on August 5, 2019 to prevent backlash against abrogation of J&K’ s special status. All top mainstream leaders including three former J&K Chief Ministers Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah were arrested. The three former CMs were among a dozen mainstream leaders booked under stringent Public Safety Act (PSA).
Besides, separatist leaders and activists, civil society members, traders, lawyers, youth were also arrested and lodged in jails within and outside J&K.