609 of 5000 Arrested in J&K Post Art 370 Still in Custody: Centre

The minister said since 5 August, no person has died due to police firing in law and order incidents in J&K.

Image used for representational purposes.

(Photo Courtesy: Fact-finding team)

Out of the 5,000 preventive arrests made in Jammu and Kashmir since 5 August, 609 are still in custody, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy said in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, 27 November.

“Nobody has died in police firing since 5 August, but 197 people have been injured in law and order incidents,” he said.

He continued, “With a view to prevent commission of offences involving breach of peace, maintenance of the public order and activities prejudicial to the security of the state, 5,161 preventive arrests, including stone pelters, miscreants, over ground workers, separatists and political workers, were made since 5 August 2019, in Kashmir Valley,” said the Union minister of state for home.

In reply to a written question, he said, “Out of these, 609 people are presently under detention and out of which approximately 218 are stone pelters.”

Among those who continue to be under detention include three former chief ministers of Jammu and Kashmir — Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti.

Reddy said adequate security personnel are deployed in Jammu and Kashmir for augmenting the security of counter insurgency grid, strengthening the internal security and maintaining law and order.

“It has been reported by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir that essential services are functioning normally in the Valley,” he said.

The minister said as per the report of the government of Jammu and Kashmir, since 5 August 2019, no person has died due to police firing in law and order incidents.

“During this period, 197 persons have been injured in law and order related incidents. During the same period, three security force personnel and 17 civilians have been killed in terror-related incidents while 129 persons got injured,” he said.

‘Full Economic Potential was Not Realised Due to Art 35A, 370’

Replying to another question, Reddy said the people of Jammu and Kashmir have suffered from terrorist violence and separatism supported from across the border for the past many decades.

“On account of Article 35A and certain other constitutional provisions, the people of this region were denied full rights enshrined in the Constitution of India and the benefits of various central laws that were being enjoyed by other citizens of the country. As a result, full economic potential of the region could not be realised by the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh regions for the last 70 years,” he said.

The minister said that after the declaration issued by the president under Article 370, based on the recommendation of Parliament and reorganisation of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Union Territory of Ladakh, all such aspects have been addressed and the people of Jammu and Kashmir can now realise full potential in all sectors of economy like in other parts of the country.

“Due to these recent decisions, certain precautionary measures taken initially have already been substantially relaxed. There is no specific report received from the Government of Jammu and Kashmir regarding any new losses on account of such preventive steps taken as a short-term measure,” Reddy added.