Jammu & Kashmir witnessed 166 per cent more civilian fatalities due to terrorism in 2017, while there was a 42 per cent rise in the number of terrorists neutralised in 2017 compared to the previous year.

As per the annual report of the Ministry of Home Affairs for 2017-18, there has been a spurt in infiltration attempts from the Pakistan side — from 371 in 2016 to 406 in 2017. As many as 123 infiltrations were successful in 2017 in comparison to 119 in 2016.

“The year 2017 also witnessed a 6.21 per cent increase and 166.66 per cent increase in the number of terrorist incidents and fatalities of civilians respectively in comparison to the corresponding period of 2016,” the annual report of Home Ministry said.

In 2017, there were 342 violent incidents in Jammu & Kashmir in which 80 security personnel, 40 civilians and 213 terrorists were killed. There were 322 incidents in the State in 2016 in which 82 security personnel, 15 civilians and 150 terrorists were killed. According to the report, there was 2.44 per cent decrease in casualties of security forces.

The report said the Central Government in tandem with the State Government has adopted a multi-pronged approach to contain cross-border infiltrations like strengthening of the border infrastructure and multi-tiered and multi-model deployment along the International Border and Line of Control (LoC).

The Ministry said the endeavour of the Government has been to allow proactive and coordinated measures by all the security forces to safeguard the country from cross-border terrorism and to contain militancy. The Centre wants to ensure that the democratic process is sustained and primacy of civil administration is restored to effectively tackle the socio-econmic problems facing the people on account of the effects of prolonged militancy in the state, said the report.

The Government also wants to ensure a sustained peace process and provide adequate opportunities to all sections of people in the State who eschew violence, the report said.

According to the report, since the advent of militancy in Jammu & Kashmir in 1990, a total of 13,976 civilians and 5,123 security personnel have lost their lives till December 31, 2017.

Courtesy: The Pioneer, Thursday, 19 April 2018 | PNS | New Delhi