Category: Union Territory

697 militancy related incidents were reported against 503 in 2017, 68 civilian died in year, forces causalities dropped

Srinagar, July 17 (KNO) : The annual report released by the State Crime Department has revealed that the year 2018 was more violent on all fronts than the 2017 as the year witnessed 697 militancy related incidents against 503 in previous year. The report, a copy of which lies, with the KNO, also disclosed that in 233 militants were killed in 2018 against 208 in 2017.

According to the report, the bomb blasts/grenade attacks also showed a surge in 2018 as 82 such incidents were reported in the year against 20 in 2017. The report also states that militants arrested in 2018 were however, lower than the year 2018 at 52 and 84 respectively.

As far the civilian causalities, the report stated that less civilian died in 2018 against 2017. “In 2018, 68 civilians died while as 116 sustained injuries. IN 2017, 78 civilians had died while 172 had sustained injuries at the encounter sites,” the report reads.

It says that six army personnel were killed in 2018 against eight in 2017. “Fifty five policemen were killed in 2018 against 30 in 2017. Other security forces personnel who were killed in 2018 were 34 against 52 in 2017,” the report said.

The report also reveals that from the slain militants, carbines were also recovered besides other sophisticated weaponry that includes sniper rifles, INSAS, RDX sticks, Bazooka Rocket Launcher, Bombs, high end detonators etc.

A senior security official told KNO that figures were up to the mark and that there was no doubt that 2018 was more violent in terms of successful anti-militancy operations.

“The forces causality figure dropped considerably in year 2018, but yes the civilian causalities, especially those that occurred at the encounter spots, went high. That was taken care and hopefully this year, we will be having satisfactory figures at the end of the year,” he said.

He said this year so far, 125 militants were killed and most of these operations were clean where there was no civilian causality. “The causality on part of the security forces also decreased this year. Overall situation this year is going to be very good the way things are shaping up. We are having a peaceful year 2019,” the officer told KNO.(KNO)

Srinagar, July 17: The ‘Free Yasin Malik’ and ‘Remove ban on JKLF’ campaign launched by Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) continues in various parts of the world, with leaders and activists expediting their campaign in UK and Europe from last few days, the party said on Wednesday.

A JKLF spokesperson in a statement issued to GNS said, “A JKLF high level delegation yesterday held a meeting with the British foreign office (FCO) and Chairperson UK All Parties Parliamentary Group on Kashmir (APPKG) in London. JKLF leaders and activists held a peaceful protest demonstration outside Indian high commission in Brussels Belgium in this regard.”

He said that JKLF team has also launched a minibus campaign with photographs of incarcerated chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik, throughout London and other cities of UK.

Continuing with the campaign, JKLF diplomatic bureau led by its head Professor Raja Zafar Khan on Tuesday held a long meeting with British foreign and commonwealth office at London, the spokesperson said, adding that JKLF leaders Liaqat A Lone, General Secretary JKLF UK Zone, and senior leader Mehmood Hussain were also part of this delegation.

The delegation apprised FCO with the ground situation in Jammu Kashmir and “unilateral use of violent aggression” by Indian government against the people of Kashmir, he said.

Emphasizing on the need of immediate release of JKLF chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik and lifting the ban from JKLF, delegation asked FCO to play its role for ensuring a space on political activities and end to “human rights abuses” in Jammu Kashmir.

The same JKLF delegation also held a fruitful meeting with the Chairperson All Party Parliamentary Groups on Kashmir (APPKG) Debbie Abrahams and apprised her about the situation in Kashmir and asked the parliamentary group to use its good-offices to ensure an early release of Yasin Malik and lifting of “unlawful” ban on JKLF.

Meanwhile, a peaceful protest was held outside Indian high commission in Brussels Belgium, the spokesperson said, adding that JKLF leaders asked the international community to safeguard democratic and human rights of the people of Jammu Kashmir.

Meanwhile, JKLF has expressed heartfelt grief and sorrow over the demise of the wife of renowned Kashmiri poet Rahman Rahi.

JKLF prayed for heavenly abode of the deceased and forbearance to the bereaved family. (GNS)

Srinagar, July 16: The two AIIMS, being set up at Awantipora in south Kashmir and Vijaypur in the Jammu province under the Prime Minister’s developmental package for the state are expected to be completed by January 2023 and 2025 respectively.

Respondning to a question in Rajya Sabha, the Minister of State in the ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ashwini Kumar Choubey said that AIIMS at Vijaypur is coming up at an approved outlay of Rs. 1661 Crores and target date for completion of project is January 2023.

He, according to GNS, said that the AIIMS, with an approved outlay of Rs.1828 crores is expected to be completed on January 2025.

He said 21 new AIIMS were approved by the Union Government in various parts of the country. Of these, he said six (6) new AIIMS in Patna (Bihar), Raipur (Chhattisgarh), Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), Bhubaneswar (Orissa), Jodhpur (Rajasthan) and Rishikesh (Uttaranchal) are already functional

South Kashmir is especially deficient in specialized medical facilities, and patients have to undertake a journey of up to two to three hours to reach Srinagar, the summer capital of the state, for advanced treatment of serious ailments. The coming up of AIIMS in the vicinity will improve the situation, officials underlined.

According to the official, 1886 kanals and 5 marals (235.75 acres) at Awantipora and 1954 kanals and 6 marlas (244.25 acres) at Vijaypur stand transferred and handed over to the central public works department which is the executing agency for these projects.

In January this year, the state’s administrative council sanctioned Rs 87 crore for removing hurdles in the way of building two AIIMS. The J&K government has undertaken to ensure hassle-free access to both sites by paying for land acquisition for development of roadway or for any other purpose for realising the premier medical institutes. However, land acquisition and removal of other bottlenecks has been a main hurdle for the last couple of years. (GNS)

By: Kumar Shyam

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(This story has not a work by KASHMIR TODAY staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Stone pelting incidents in Jammu and Kashmir have declined significantly from 2,600 in 2016 to barely a few dozen in the first half of 2019, officials said Sunday.

As per the report, the arrests involved in stone pelting incidents also have come down from over 10,500 to just about a hundred.

The Home Ministry statistics say that there were 2,653 incidents of stone pelting in 2016 for which 10,571 miscreants were arrested by police.

However, among the arrested just 276 were sent to jail and others were let off with warnings.

The killing of militant commander Burhan Wani in 2016 saw a long turmoil in Kashmir, a Home Ministry official said, there were 1,412 incidents of stone pelting in 2017 in which 2,838 trouble-makers were arrested and 63 of them were sent to jail, he said.

In 2018, there were 1,458 incidents of stone pelting in which 3,797 miscreants were arrested and 65 of them were sent to jail, as per the statistics.

As per the official record, in the first six months of 2019, there were around 40 incidents of stone pelting in which about a hundred miscreants were detained.

Reports also suggest that there has been a marked improvement in the security scenario in the valley ever since the imposition of Governor’s rule on June 19, 2018, when the BJP withdrew support to Peoples Democratic Party.