SRI NAGAR: At least 1,050 militants and 319 security men have been killed in 791 militancy-related incidents in Jammu and Kashmir since 2018, as per the Centre’s data. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, there were 791 militancy-related incidents including 626 encounters in Jammu and Kashmir from 2018 till July 31, 2023.
“In 2018, 228 militancy incidents were reported followed by 153 in 2019, 126 in 2020, 129 in 2021, 125 in 2022 and 30 till July 31, 2023,” Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said in a written reply.
As per the data, in the 791 militancy incident, about 1,050 militants have been killed with the highest number of 257 militants killed in 2018 followed by 221 in 2020, 187 in 2022, 180 in 2021, 157 in 2019 and 50 till July 31, 2023. The data reveals that from 2018 to July 31 2023, 319 security men were killed.
As per the data, 90 security men were killed in 2018, 80 in 2019, 63 in 2020, 42 in 2021, 32 in 2022 and 11 in 2023.
According to the statistics, the security forces' killings in militancy violence in J&K have witnessed a significant drop from 90 in 2018 to 11 till July 31, 2023. As per the MHA data, 184 civilians were killed in militant-initiated incidents in J&K in the last four and a half years.
Of the 184 civilians killed, 40 died in 2018, 39 in 2019, 32 in 2020, 37 in 2021, 26 in 2022 and 10 in 2023. About 35 civilians have died during encounters between militants and security forces in the region since 2018.
As per the data, 15 civilians died during encounters in 2018, 5 in 2019, 6 in 2020, 4 in 2021, 5 in 2022 while no civilian deaths during encounters took place this year so far.
Militant recruitment has also declined significantly in Valley in the last few years and now it is in double-digit numbers.
According to Nityanand Rai, further security measures include group security in the form of static guards, round-the-clock checking at nakas at the strategic points, night patrolling and area domination, identification of vulnerable spots, security arrangement through the appropriate deployment of police, army, Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and intensified cordon and search operations are being undertaken to prevent militant attacks and militancy-related incidents.
On the drop in the militancy-related violence in J&K, Lt Governor Manoj Sinha told this newspaper that the entire terror ecosystem is being dismantled through a meticulously-planned strategy.
Referring to some militant attacks in the border districts of Poonch and Rajouri, he said, “It is true that our attention was more on the Valley, but now security has been tightened and results are encouraging from other parts as well.”
Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbagh Singh recently said that the number of militants active in J&K is at an all-time low.