One hundred and sixty-eight militants have been killed by security forces in the state of Jammu and Kashmir this year until October — the highest yearly total in four years — according to an RTI response to Kashmir Post.
Additionally, a total of 45 army personnel have lost their lives in the state in 2017.
The 168 militants include top terrorist commanders such as Lashkar-e-Taiba’s Abu Dujana and Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani’s successor Sabzar Ahmad Bhat.
The RTI response, signed by Lieutenant Colonel Rajiv Guleria for the CPIO of the Indian Army, says the numbers reflect the deaths until 10 October, 2017.
The number of militant deaths recorded this year has already exceeded the numbers in the last four years — the highest of which was recorded in 2016 at 141 — with a little under three months left for the figure to rise.
Moreover, the figures show that the largest number of deaths in Jammu and Kashmir — both of militants and army personnel — occur in the summer months between June and September.
