Jammu and Kashmir terror hits drop, more terrorists dead

NEW DELHI: Terror-related violence in J&K till July this year was two-third of the levels witnessed during the corresponding period of 2019, and the number of terrorists killed in the first seven months of 2020 is already nearing the figure for entire 2019.
As per data accessed by TOI, 120 violent incidents were recorded in J&K till July 15 this year, down from 189 in the corresponding period of 2019.Of these, 69 related to cross-firing and encounters initiated by the security forces while 21were grenade attacks, 22 random firing by terrorists and one IED blast. In 2019, till July 15, there were 81cross firing/encounters, 51 grenade attacks, 60 IED blasts and 43 random firings by terrorists.
Security forces’ fatalities fell to 35 till July 15, 2020 from 75 in the same period last year. There has been little change in civilian killings (22 this year) though injuries to civilians fell by 75%. Law and order incidents too have fallen by 74% from 389 till July 2019 to 102 till July this year.
“The only thing that has risen are ceasefire violations: from 267 till July 2019 to 487 in the corresponding period of 2020. However, infiltration attempts have fallen by almost 50% over this period,” DGP Dilbag Singh told TOI.
As many as 141 terrorists were neutralised till July this year (the number till July 30 has gone up to 150), as compared to 131 till July 31 last year. In entire 2019, 157 terrorists — 125 local and 32 foreign—were killed as there were negligible encounters in the months following nullification of Article 370 in J&K on August 5.
Of the 141 terrorists neutralised this year, 109 were killed between April and July, with the number peaking at 49 in June. In 2019, 25 terrorists were killed in June.
Importantly, 88% or 124 of the 141 terrorists killed this year were local Kashmiris, while 17 were foreign terrorists. Also, 108 terrorists were killed in south Kashmir alone — 37 in Shopian, 36 in Pulwama, 21 in Kulgam and 14 in Anantnag.
Local terror recruitment cases fell by 36% to 80 till July 2020 from 124 till July 2019. Many of these recruits have already been neutralised.