Fall in militancy, infiltration incidents

Press Trust Of India

Jammu, January 06, 2011  

Law and order problems and violent agitations led to the death of 127 people in 2010 but Jammu and Kashmir witnessed a fall in militancy-related incidents and infiltration cases in the year gone by. "There was fall in militancy-related incidents, infiltration, civilian, security personnel killings by militants last year as compared to 2009," a senior police official said.

Infiltration attempts and militancy-related incidents were down to 459 and 474 till December 15, 2010 as compared to 2009's figure of 485 and 499 respectively, said a report on security and militancy compiled by the State Home Department.

However, there was increase in the number of processions, demonstrations and strike calls given by separatists and militants and also in the causality figure of civilians due to the law and order problems in 2010.

While there were 708 militancy related incidents reported in 2008, 1092 in 2007, 1667, 2006, 1990 in 2005, 2565 in 2004, 3401 in 2003, 4038 in 2002, 4536 in 2001.

While the highest number of 5946 militancy-related incidents took place in 1995, the lowest in past two decades was reported in 2010. Not only this, violent incidents directed against the security forces also saw a fall. There were 75 such incidents reported in 2010 till December 15 as compared to 89 in 2009, 128 in 2008, 217 in 2007 and the highest 2675 in 1994. While civilian killings due to militant firing and explosions were down to 33 as compared to 63 in 2009, civilian deaths due to firing and the law and order increased to 127 in 2010 from 20 in 2009, the report said.

According to the official, the increase in civilian deaths was mainly due to the violent protests and agitations which rocked Kashmir valley last year. Similarly, there was also a fall in the killing of security force personnel and policemen. Sixty-eight security men were killed in gun battles with militants in 2010 as against 79 in 2009, 85 in 2008 and 122 in 2007.

As many as 237 militants were killed and 19 surrendered in 2010 compared to the figures of 239 and 15 in 2009, it said. However, on the law and order front, there was increase in demonstrations and processions and strikes sponsored by separatists and militants as 134 demonstrations and processions and 131 hartals were witnessed in the state in 2010 as compared to 45 demos and processions and 35 hartals in 2009. The figure of political and public rallies went down too as 1420 such meetings were held in 2010 as against 3,021 in 2009 and 6783 in 2008, the report said.

 (Courtesy : www.hindustantimes.com)