There were 4,799 stone-throwing incidents and 872 terror incidents in Jammu and Kashmir in the past three years, the government today informed the Rajya Sabha.
Union Minister of State for Home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir said 730 incidents of stone-throwing were reported in 2015; 2,808 in 2016; and 1,216 in 2017. In a written reply to a question, he said there were 208 incidents of terrorist violence in J&K in 2015, 322 in 2016 and 342 such incidents in 2017.
As many as 471 terrorists, 201 security forces personnel and 72 civilians were killed in the past three years in the state, the minister told the Rajya Sabha.
J&Khas been affected by terrorist violence that is sponsored and supported from across the border. The levels of terrorist violence in the hinterland are linked to the infiltration from across the border,” he said.
Seventeen protesters died of pellet gun injuries in J&K in the past two years, the Rajya Sabha was told today. Union Minister of State for Home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir also said that two security persons were killed by protesters in the Valley in 2016. As many as 13 protesters were killed in 2016 when security forces used pellet guns to thwart the agitators while four other protesters were killed in 2017, he said.
The minister in a written reply also said the government had constituted an expert committee on July 26, 2016, to explore other possible alternatives to pellet guns as non-lethal weapons.
“The recommendations of the committee have been taken into account by the government for appropriate implementation. Accordingly, various measures such as PAVA-chilli, stun lac and tearsmoke shells are used to disperse the unlawful violent protesters before the use of pellet guns,” he said.
