As many as 87 civilians and 99 security force (SF) personnel have been killed in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) since the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, as compared to 177 civilians and 406 security personnel in the previous five years, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai informed the Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament) on April 6, reports Daily Excelsior. The Minister said the Central Government has a policy of zero tolerance against terrorism and there has been a substantial decline in terrorist attacks from 417 in 2018 to 255 in 2019, 244 in 2020 and 229 in 2021. As many as 177 civilians and 406 security personnel were killed from May 2014 to August 4, 2019 in Jammu and Kashmir, while 87 civilians and 99 security personnel were killed from August 5, 2019 to November 2021, he said in a written reply to a question. “A robust security and intelligence grid is in place to prevent any terrorist attack. In addition, day and night area domination, round the clock checking at Nakas, patrolling and proactive operations against terrorists are being carried out,” he said.x
Further, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai informed the Rajya Sabha that four Kashmiri Pandits among 14 Hindus were killed by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir since 2019, reports Daily Excelsior. Rai also said that 34 people belonging to minority communities were killed by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir in the last five years, including 11 in 2021. The Minister said the Government has taken several measures to ensure the safety of minorities in the valley. These include robust security and intelligence grid, group security in the form of static guards and day and night area domination. There is also round-the-clock checking at Nakas and patrolling in the areas where the minorities reside besides proactive operations against terrorists. Replying to another question, he said as many as 502 infiltrations have taken place in Jammu and Kashmir since 2017.