The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday that there has been a significant 66 per cent decline in the killing of security personnel in Jammu and Kashmir during encounters with terrorists between 2018 and 2022.
This information was shared by Union Minister of State for Home Nityanad Rai in response to a question asked by Lok Sabha MP Kamlesh Paswan.
According to the data shared by Rai, the number of security personnel, including those from the Army, Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), and Jammu and Kashmir Police, who were killed in encounters in the region were as follows: 44 in 2018, 27 in 2019, 33 in 2020, 16 in 2021, and 14 in 2022. The overall trend has shown a decline in the number of security personnel deaths since 2018.
Rai attributed the decrease in killings to the government’s policy of zero tolerance against terrorism. Measures such as round-the-clock checkpoints, intensified Cordon and Search Operations (CASO), sharing of intelligence inputs, day and night area domination, and identification of vulnerable spots have been undertaken to combat terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.
Furthermore, efforts to sensitize security personnel about the issue and defeat the tactics of terrorists and their supporters have also been initiated. The aim is to dismantle the terror ecosystem and ensure peace and stability in the region, as per Rai.
The decline in the killing of security personnel in encounters in Jammu and Kashmir reflects the effectiveness of the government’s strategies and actions against terrorism, thus contributing to a safer environment for the residents of the union territory.
(With inputs from Agency)
