Terror activities surge in Jammu region post Article 370 abrogation

In the aftermath of Article 370 abrogation in August 2019, the Jammu region has witnessed an increase in terror activities with certain security indicators, including recruitment of terrorists, showing an upward trend over the past nearly four years, official data revealed.

The arrest of 231 terrorists and their overground workers (OGWs) between August 5, 2019 and June 16, 2023 in the stepped up counter-insurgency operations in the Jammu division was 71 per cent more than such arrests recorded between October 27, 2015 and August 4, 2019, according to the data.

The Central government abrogated Article 370 granting special status to Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019, and bifurcated the erstwhile state into Union territories of J&K and Ladakh.

According to the official data, eight grenade and 13 improvised explosive device (IED) attacks were recorded in the Jammu region post the abrogation of Article 370. Four grenade and seven IED attacks were recorded from October 27, 2015 to August 4, 2019. The casualties in IED blasts increased by 73 per cent from three in 2015-19 to 11 in 2019-2023.

On comparing the pre-and-post-abrogation period of nearly four years, the incidents of terrorist initiated stand-off fire and hit and run cases witnessed an increase of 43 per cent from four to seven, while the incidence of terror recruitment has gone up by 39 per cent from eight to 13, it stated.

However, there has been an appreciable decline in the casualties of civilians and security forces in the terror attacks in the past nearly four years. Against 11 civilian killings from October 27, 2015 to August 4, 2019, there was a significant decline with seven civilian killings reported post the abrogation of Article 370. The casualties among the police and the security forces in terror attacks marked a decrease of 13 per cent. While 29 personnel lost their lives and 32 others were injured in various attacks post the abrogation Article 370, the figures stood at 33 deaths and 42 injuries from October 27, 2015 to August 4, 2019, stated the data.

There has been only one weapon snatching, 19 stone-pelting and 16 strike and bandh calls -- showing 80 per cent, 62 per cent and 42 per cent decline, respectively, compared to the period of nearly four years prior to the abrogation of Article 370, it revealed.

Security officials said the terror-related incidents mostly remained restricted to the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch, where over 65 terrorists were neutralised in various encounters over the past four years since August 5, 2019.

Talking to reporters in Jammu on Sunday, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said the “360-degree security mechanism” has been strengthened in the Jammu division and all efforts are being made by the security grid to eliminate the terrorists' support system.

“The overall security situation in Jammu and Kashmir has already improved…The J-K Police and other security agencies have started focusing on this region (Jammu) and achieved success against terrorists,” Sinha said.

“We are following the policy of zero tolerance against terrorism and our administration is determined and committed to take stringent action against those associated with the terror ecosystem or facilitating terrorist, secessionist activities,” he had said.

(With agency inputs)