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14 from minorities including 3 Pandits killed in J&K this year: Govt tells RS
The Union home ministry said that 123 terror attacks took place in J&K till November end, in which 31 security personnel and 31 civilians were killed while at least 180 terrorists were gunned down by security personnel in the last 11 months
NEW DELHI: Fourteen people belonging to minority communities, including three Kashmiri Pandits, were killed in Jammu and Kashmir this year till November 30, the Union ministry of home affairs told Parliament on Wednesday, adding that various measures have been taken to “protect the lives of minorities in the region”.
“14 persons belonging to minorities, including 3 Kashmiri Pandits were killed in Jammu and Kashmir between January 2022 to 30th November 2022,” Union minister of state for home Nityanand Rai told the Rajya Sabha, adding that various measures are taken by the Centre to “protect the lives of minorities in the region.”
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Rai was responding to the question of Samajwadi Party member Javed Ali Khan who asked if the government has failed to provide security to minorities, especially Pandits, in Kashmir Valley.
The minister underlined the government has a policy of zero tolerance against terror and the security situation has improved significantly in Jammu and Kashmir
“There has been a substantial decline in terrorist attacks from 417 in 2018 to 229 in 2021.”
“Various measures to protect the lives of minorities, including group security in the form of static guards; day and night area domination (by security forces); round the clock Nakas (check posts) at strategic points; patrolling and speculative cordon and search operations (CASOs) as well as security arrangements through appropriate deployment has been taken by the government,” Rai said.
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Responding to another question, Rai said 123 terror attacks took place in J&K this year till November end, in which 31 security personnel and 31 civilians were killed while at least 180 terrorists were gunned down by security personnel in the last 11 months.
A review meeting to discuss measures being taken by security forces to ensure Pandits and other civilians are not attacked by terrorists was held by Union home secretary Ajay Bhalla on Tuesday to discuss measures being taken by security forces to ensure Pandits and other civilians are not attacked by terrorists after TRF (The Resistance Front), an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba, on Sunday issued a kill threat to Kashmiri Pandits. They also allegedly put out a ‘hit list’ of 56 persons from the community.
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