Srinagar: The government of India on Wednesday said 128 government force personnel and 118 civilians have been killed by militants since 5 August 2019 when the autonomous status of J&K was scrapped till 9 July.
Out of 118 civilians, 97 were Kashmiri Muslims, Five Kashmiri Pandits and 16 belonged to the Hindu/Sikh Community, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India said.
In a written reply to question by Digvijaya Singh in the ongoing monsoon session of the parliament, Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai said among the 118 civilians, five Kashmiri Pandits and 18 others belonging to Hindu/Sikh communities were killed during the period.
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“The Government has a policy of zero tolerance against (militancy) and the security situation has improved significantly in Jammu and Kashmir. There has been a substantial decline in (militant) attacks from 417 in 2018 to 229 in 2021,” Rai said.
“From August 5, 2019 till 9th July, 2022, 128 security force personnel and 118 civilians have been killed by (militants) in Jammu and Kashmir. Out of 118 civilians killed, he said, 5 were Kashmiri Pandits and 16 from Hindu/Sikh communities,” he said.
He added that no Amarnath pilgrim was killed during the period.
Singh had sought details about the number of civilians, pilgrims and security forces personnel killed by militants in Jammu and Kashmir from August 5, 2019 to till date, and out of them how many were Hindus and Kashmiri Pandits.
To Singh’s queries about number of Kashmiri Pandits residing in other parts of the country who were resettled in the valley and the number of Kashmiri Pandits who migrated from the valley during the period, Rai said:
“Under the Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP), 5502 Kashmiri Pandits have been provided Government jobs in different departments of Govt. of Jammu and Kashmir in the valley.”
Further, he said, as per the records, no Kashmiri Pandit has “reportedly” migrated from the valley during the period.
Earlier, in February, the ministry informed Parliament that 439 militants were killed while 98 civilians and 109 armed forces personnel lost their lives since August 05.
(GNS)
