J& K violence dropped by 50%: Govt
There has been a marked improvement in the overall security scenario in the Kashmir Valley since abrogation of Article 370 last August in the former state of Jammu & Kashmir which has now been converted into a Union Territory. Key security parameters reveal a drop of almost 50 percent in incidents of violence in the entire Valley.
Latest data analysis by the security forces have revealed that in the last one year, since Article 370 was abrogated, there has been a drop in number of terrorist incidents from 443 to 206 in the same corresponding period. Interestingly, there has been a sharp drop even in incidents of stone pelting to 310 since August 2019 as compared to 703 between August 2018 to 2019.
What has come as a huge respite to the security forces is the fact that even the number of security personnel killed since Article 370 was repealed is 49 in comparison to 125 during the same corresponding period. There was a drop in the civilians killed in terrorist incident from 54 to 45.
“Security forces have had a upper hand in dealing with terrorism in the Valley in last one year and the statistics reveal the same picture. This clearly
shows that if given a free hand our security and intelligence grid is fully competent in dealing with the security scenario in the Valley and has shown a marked improvement,” a senior security official remarked.
One of the key reason for improvement in the security situation is a much improved intelligence network which has been substantially strengthened at the ground level. Focused and specific human intelligence has led to many successful security operations again subversive elements.
The local Kashmiri watchers, however, say it could be the ‘ lull before the storm’. Various political parties and leaders endorse the view and insist on there being “urgency of holding a political dialogue on Kashmir”. Their explanation is; people of Kashmir will not settle for “peace of graveyard”.