Terror violence in JK down by 60 pc since Jan: DGP tells minister

Terror-related violence in Jammu and Kashmir has come down by 60 per cent in less than one and a half months in the beginning of 2020, in comparison to the same period last year, officials said on Friday.

The information was conveyed by Director General of Police (DGP), Jammu and Kashmir, Dilbagh Singh who called on Union Minister Jitendra Singh here.

During the meeting, Singh briefed the minister about the current security scenario in the Union Territory.

The DGP informed the minister that terror-related violence in Jammu and Kashmir had come down by 60 per cent in less than one and a half months in 2020, as compared to the same period in 2019, the government officials said.

At the same time, there has been no major law and order or stone pelting incident at encounter sites or during burials of neutralised terrorists, the minister was informed.

Officials said a detailed presentation was made before the minister highlighting that up to February 13 in the current year, 24 militants have been neutralised, which includes 20 killed and four arrested.

This is in addition to the arrest of 12 terror operatives involved in grenade attacks in Srinagar and other areas, and the arrest of 43 over ground workers (OGWs) who were providing all kind of assistance and logistical support to various cadres of different terror outfits.

Of the 24 militants neutralised so far in 2020, the DGP's report indicated that 10 militants were affiliated with the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), three militants had recently infiltrated the UT and were neutralised at Ban Toll Plaza, Jammu and 11 were from Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) outfit.

The minister appreciated the performance of the security forces and close coordination between Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP) and the paramilitary forces, saying it had become much more cohesive and effective after the imposition of Governor's rule and creation of the Union Territory, officials said.

He also expressed satisfaction that in the last one and a half months, there has been no major law and order problem in the UT.

The DGP also informed the minister that the surveillance mechanism, both technical and human, had been further strengthened, the officials said.

As a result of this, he said, the return of seven youths from South Kashmir to their families was possible and they were thus prevented from joining the militant rank and file, according to the officials.