The Centre on Tuesday said the militant violence in Jammu and Kashmir has reduced significantly after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019 and cited a decline in militant incidents in the Union Territory in 2020 in comparison to 2019.
Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy said in the Lok Sabha that 244 militant incidents were reported in Jammu and Kashmir in 2020 in comparison to 594 in 2019, while 221 militants were killed in 2020 in comparison to 157 in 2019.
Till February 2021, 15 militant incidents occurred in the Union Territory in which eight militants were killed, he said in a written reply.
The minister said 33 security personnel and six civilians were killed in Jammu and Kashmir in 2020 and 27 security personnel and five civilians were killed in 2019.
“After the abrogation of Article 370, the number of militant incidents in Jammu and Kashmir has reduced significantly,” he said.
Reddy said the central government has adopted a policy of zero tolerance towards militancy and has taken 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 the militant organisations.
The government forces also keep a close watch on persons who attempt to provide support to militants and initiate action against them, he said.
