Srinagar: Another year of mayhem for Jammu and Kashmir has just passed. As many as 400 people were killed in militancy-related violence in the State in 2017. Among the slain were 218 militants and 86 security forces’ personnel and the rest were civilians.
The authorities have termed the killing of such large number of militants as a major breakthrough in the security forces’ fight against what they call is terrorism abetted by Pakistan. They, however, also said while the militancy-related incidents were at the highest in past nearly one decade, the casualties including among the civilians and the security forces have shown an upward trend in 2017.
A report prepared by Mirwaiz Umar-led Hurriyat Conference released in Srinagar said out of 97 civilians 36 were killed by the security forces in clashes or during counterinsurgency operations whereas 29 including 8 Amarnath pilgrims were killed by militants. The other civilians were killed in grenade blasts, shooting incidents and other violent acts involving security forces and suspected militants.
Among the civilians who were killed during 2017 were nine of those who fell prey during firing incidents along the Line of Control (LoC).
As per the official statistics, the highest numbers of deaths this year took place in July when 10 civilians, 27 militants and security personnel were killed. 34 persons were killed in March and 9 civilians, 6 security forces personnel and 19 militants in April.
Director General of Police, Shesh Paul Vaid, while addressing a press conference here on Sunday, however, said that 206 militants, 85 of them locals and 121 foreigners were killed in 2017. Two more militants were neutralized following a ‘fidayeen’ attack at a CRPF camp in southern Pulwama district on Sunday itself. Five CRPF personnel including an inspector also lost their lives in this attack.
The police chief said that ‘Operation All-Out” launched jointly by the J&K police, the Army, the CRPF and other central forces earlier this year has been a “great success”. He, however, also said that there was a misconception there over this operation. “I want to make it clear that this operation is not only about killing militants, but also to bring them back into the mainstream,” he said.
He added that while 206 militants were killed 75 youth were brought back who had either joined or were about to join the militancy. “Apart from this seven youth, who had picked up arms, were brought back due to the support their families, shown to us,” he said. He claimed that there was a “downward trend” of local youth joining the militants’ ranks.
He said that stone-throwing cases registered in 2016 and 2017 against at least 5,500 youth are under review after government announced amnesty scheme for first time stone-throwers recently.
