90 ultras killed this year in Kashmir

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 4

Even as the Kashmir valley has witnessed a substantial drop of about 72% in the incidents of law and order breakdown in comparison to the preceding two years from the period of August 2019-July 2021, officials in the J&K security establishment say fears continue to haunt them that the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and the Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) are augmenting their striking capabilities, as these outfits have their cadres fighting along with Taliban in Afghanistan. Once free from there, such militants would pose a severe challenge, officials say.

382 terror cases reported since aug 2019

• From August 2017 to July 2019, the UT saw 1,394 incidents in which four security men and 27 civilians were killed
• The number of such cases plunged to 382 during the period of August 2019-July 2021 in which no life was lost

J&K Police officials claim that as many as 90 terrorists, more than half of them of LeT, have been killed this year so far. Officials said 51 were from Lashkar-e-Taiba, 20 from Hizbul Mujahideen, eight from Jaish-e-Mohammad, six from Al Badr, three from Ansar Ghazwat-ul Hind and two from the ISJK.

According to J&K Police data from August 2017-July 2019, there were 1,394 incidents of breakdown of law and order in which four security forces personnel/policemen and 27 civilians were killed. But the number plunged to 382 during August 2019-July 2021 in which no lives were lost, it added.

As per the data, from August 2017 to July 2019, 135 civilians lost their lives during different terror-related incidents whereas from August 2019 to July 2021, only 72 such killings were reported.