In the past 30 years, the least number of terrorist violence incidents in Jammu and Kashmir were recorded in 2013 and 2015, show government data.
According to data for the current year collated by the J&K administration, 365 incidents of terrorist violence were reported till September 4.
‘Gateways of terror’
J&K was placed under severe restrictions including a communication blockade since August 5 when Home Minister Amit Shah moved two Bills in the Rajya Sabha revoking the special status of J&K under Article 370 and downgrading and bifurcating the State into Union Territories. Mr. Shah has said Article 370 and Article 35A were the gateways of terrorism into J&K and the gates were closed by repealing the provisions.
According to the J&K administration, there are 59,76,359 mobile phone connections in the Kashmir Valley, of which 20,05,293 postpaid connections were working. The population of Valley is around 70 lakhs as per the 2011 census.
Prepaid mobiles and Internet connection remain snapped since August 5.
Government has said 280 e-terminals were set up across 10 districts of the Valley and till November 18 as many as 23,0418 people had accessed the Internet on these machines.
In 1990, when terrorism started in Kashmir Valley, 4,158 incidents were reported where 461 civilians, 155 security forces and 550 terrorists were killed. It peaked to 5,938 incidents in 1995 leading to the killing of 1,031 civilians, 237 security personnel and 1,332 terrorists. There was sharp decline in number of such incidents in 2008 when it dropped for the first time to 708 when 91 civilians and 75 security personnel were killed along with 339 terrorists.
In the year 2013, the incidents of terrorist violence stood at 170 where 15 civilians and 53 security personnel were killed. The same year 67 terrorists were also killed. As per the status report, 41,866 persons lost their lives in 71,038 incidents of terrorist violence which includes 22,536 terrorists.
Spike in 2016
In 2016, after the unprecedented violence in Kashmir Valley following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani by security forces, 322 incidents of terrorist violence were reported where 15 civilians, 82 security personnel and 150 terrorists were killed. Till September 4 this year, in 365 incidents, 23 civilians, 78 security personnel and 136 terrorists were killed. Last year, in 614 incidents, 23 civilians, 78 security personnel and 136 terrorists were killed.
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