972 including 400 jawans killed in last three years

DAINIK NATION BUREAU

The government on Tuesday informed the Lok Sabha that 400 security personnel were killed fighting militancy in Jammu and Kashmir and Left-Wing extremists in Naxal-affected areas in the past three years, while 111 persons were killed in 822 communal incidents in the country in 2017 with UP registering the highest number of such incidents.

Responding to a question, Minister of State (MoS) for Home Hansraj Ahir placed before the House the figures, saying: “A total of 400 security personnel were killed fighting militancy in Jammu and Kashmir and Maoists in Left Wing Extremism-hit areas in the past three years.”

In the written reply, Ahir said 72 civilians and 201 security personnel were killed in terrorist violence in Jammu and Kashmir in 2015-17. In case of Left Wing Extremism (LWE) areas, 572 civilians lost their lives and 199 security forces personnel were killed in the past three years, he added.

Replying to another question, Ahir said there were 342 incidents of violence in Jammu and Kashmir in 2017, in which 80 security personnel were killed. As many as 213 terrorists were also killed. He said there were 133 encounters in 2017 and 97 terrorists were arrested. “In 2018, so far, there have been 28 incidents of violence in Jammu and Kashmir in which four security personnel and eight militants have been killed,” he said.

Meanwhile, answering a question on communal violence in the country, the minister said 111 persons were killed and 2,384 injured in 822 such incidents in the country in 2017. He went on to add that the highest number (195) of such incidents were reported in Uttar Pradesh where 44 persons were killed and 542 injured.

Giving details about poll-bound Karnataka, he said the state reported 100 communal incidents last year in which nine persons were killed and 229 injured while there were 91 incidents of riots in Rajasthan in which 12 persons were killed and 175 injured.