Terrorist incidents down by half after Art 370 scrapped in J&K: Govt

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New Delhi, Sep 21 (IANS) There has been a drastic decline in terrorist incidents in Jammu & Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 from the erstwhile state on August 5 last year, the Ministry of Home Affairs informed Parliament on Monday comparing the last two years' data.

The terrorist incidents from July 7, 2018 to August 4, 2019 (in 393 days) were 443 while the number after from August 5, 2019 to August 31, 2020 (393 days) reduced to 206. Similarly, the number of stone pelting cases reduced from 703 to 310.

A total of 54 civilians were killed from July 7, 2018 to August 4, 2019 while the number went down to 45 from August 5, 2019 to August 31, 2020, Minister of State for Home G. Kishan Reddy informed the Rajya Sabha in a written reply. As per the data shared by the minister, a total of 125 security personnel were killed in the 393 days before August 5 while the number reduced to 49 -- almost one-third -- during the same number of days after August 5.

The government on August 5 last year scrapped Article 370 from Jammu & Kashmir which gave it special status and later bifurcated it into two Union Territories (UTs) -- Jammu & Kashmir with an Assembly and Ladakh without one. After August 5 last year, the minister's reply mentioned, the number of terrorist incidents, stone pelting cases registered, civilians killed and security force personnel martyred in terrorist incidents in J&K reduced significantly because of the government's zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism.

The government took various measures such as strengthening of security apparatus, strict enforcement of law against anti-national elements, intensified cordon and search operations to effectively deal with the challenges posed by terrorist organisations. While keeping a close watch on persons who attempt to provide support to terrorists and initiating action against them, other steps by law enforcing agencies include enhanced interaction between police and public at various levels, sharing of intelligence inputs on real-time basis amongst all security forces operating in J&K, intensified area domination of militancy affected areas by deployment of additional 'nakas' and patrolling by security forces.

In order to bring about overall development for the benefit of people of J&K, Reddy informed the House that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also announced a package of Rs 80,068 crore under PMDP-2015. "This package consists of 63 major development projects in road sector, power generation and transmission, health infrastructure, establishment of 2 AIIMS, IITs, IIMs and tourism-related projects," he said.

These projects are at various stages of implementation, said Reddy, adding training and employment opportunities for the youth of J&K are also provided under many schemes such as HIMAYAT and PMKVY. In order to mainstream the youth, special emphasis is being given to 'Watan Ko Jano' programme, student exchange programme, sports as well as civic action programme of CAPFs, he informed.

--IANS

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