I feel bad if there is loss of even one life, even if that is of a terrorist, says J-K Governor

Contending that killing terrorists is not a solution to the problems of Jammu and Kashmir, the state's Governor Satya Pal Malik on Thursday said he feels "bad" even when a terrorist is killed.

He said all terrorists should return to the mainstream and "a good rehabilitation offer" will be made for their settlement.

"Terrorism is not in the gun but in the head," Malik said at an event here.

"I feel bad if there is loss of even one life, even if that is of a terrorist. I feel sad about the fact that they (terrorists) could not be brought back to the mainstream," he added.

The Governor's comments came on a day when the state police declared Baramulla as the first district of Kashmir valley where no militant is alive.

The declaration was made a day after security forces gunned down three militants in the district.

Lauding the police and security forces, Malik said several terrorists have been neutralised but that is the achievement of the security forces.

The security forces are neutralising terrorists with an increased frequency.

In 2018, the security forces gunned down as many as 200 terrorists in the state.