Over 1000 terrorists eliminated in J&K from 2018 to 2022: MHA

Srinagar: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday said 1002 terrorists were eliminated in 791 terrorist-initiated incidents in Jammu and Kashmir from 2018 to 2022.

The Minister of State (MoS) in the MHA Nityanand Rai in his written reply on a query of Members of Parliament Sandeep Kumar Pathak and Randeep Singh Surjewala in Rajya Sabha said 319 security forces and 219 civilians also lost their lives in the terrorist-initiated incidents and counter-terror operations from 2018 to July 31 of this year.

Rai said that J&K witnessed 650 counter-terror operations from 2018 to July 31, 2023.

He said that the MHA had administered a central scheme for assistance to civilian victims or family of victims of terrorist and cross-border firing besides landmine and IED blasts on the Indian territory to provide gratuitous assistance to the affected civilians as an immediate help for the sustenance and maintenance of the families of the victims.

“The scheme has been in operation since 2008. The compensation has been enhanced from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh from August 24, 2016 onwards. The State governments make the payment and thereafter claim reimbursement,” Rai said.

He said that the government has a policy of zero tolerance against terrorism and that the security situation had improved significantly in J&K.

“A robust security and intelligence grid is in place to thwart any attempt of terrorist attacks in J&K,” Rai said.

He said various steps had been taken by the government to prevent terrorist incidents and to safeguard the lives of civilians in Kashmir.

“These include group security in the form of static guards, round-the-clock checking at checkpoints at the strategic locations, night patrolling and area domination, identification of vulnerable spots, security arrangement through appropriate deployment of Police, Army, Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), and intensified Cordon and Search Operations,” Rai said.