In 2021, 189 Militants, 41 Civilians and 44 Security Personnel Killed in J&K

A total of 39 civilians were also allegedly killed either by militants or security forces this year.

During the year 2021, Jammu and Kashmir witnessed 274 incidents of fatalities which includes the killings of civilians, militants and security personnel.

The data available with The Quint reveals that between January 2021 to December, a total of 189 militants were killed in different gunfights with security forces in J&K.

According to police, this year most of the militants killed in J&K were locals. “About 15 percent of militants including intruders killed on Line of Control were non-locals while 85 percent were locals.”

During the second straight year, all 184 militants killed in the region were buried in isolated places of Baramulla, Kupwara and Ganderbal in the presence of the magistrates.

Since April 2020, the government, citing COVID-19 concerns, stopped handing over the bodies of militants to their families and has, instead, been burying them in remote locations.

During the previous year, the region recorded the elimination of 203 militants, while 160 militants were killed in the year 2019 followed by 257 militants in 2018. In 2017, 213 militants were killed whereas 150 militants were killed in 2016.

During the current year, 41 civilians were also allegedly killed either by militants or security forces. Civilian fatalities had dropped from 42 in 2019 to 33 in 2020 but this year the number increased from 33 to 39.

Barring suicide or fratricidal incidents, total 44 security personnel were killed by militants in the region.

Killings in the Valley

The month of October turned out to be the deadliest for J&K in which 20 militants and 12 security personnel were killed. In the same month, 13 civilians lost their lives in militancy related incidents.

The killings forced non-locals and migrant Pandits to leave the Valley.

The Resistance Front, a militant outfit that the government said is affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility for most of the killings, stating they were targeting people who worked with the “government and were anti-Kashmir”.

However, the militant outfit suffered a major blow in July with the killing of 37 militants. In the same month, two security personnel and a civilian were also killed.

The violence came down in the month of September as only 12 killings took place in the region which includes the killing of 9 militants, 2 security personnel and one civilian.

In the current year, 20 policemen were also killed in different militant attacks compared to 16 last year.

In the year 2019, total 11 policemen were killed but in the year 2018, police suffered massive damage with the 46 fatalities.

The declining curve of violence witnessed in the year 2019 could not last long as almost all the parameters which were inciting troubles in J&K persist during the current year.

Calm LoC

Following the record-breaking 5100 incidents of ceasefire violations between India and Pakistan in J&K during the previous year, in the current year however the LoC remained calm.

This year for the first time a ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan took place, the truce previously began in 2003.

Both sides agreed for strict observance of all agreements, understandings and cease firing along the LoC and all other sectors with effect from midnight February 24-25 Feb 2021.

The estimated net infiltration in J&K as per Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) this year was 28 bids till 31 October compared to 51 in the entire year of 2020.

Violence and militancy persists in the region

Before abrogating Article 370 in August 2019, the BJP-led central government had claimed that the move would “end militancy” and bring “peace” to the region.

The special status of J&K according to the government was “strengthening separatist narrative” in the region.

However, contrary to these claims, the government last month informed Rajya Sabha that between August 5, 2019 and November 22, 2021, the number of militant incidents in J&K was 496.

During the period, 96 civilians were also killed in Kashmir followed by 366 militants and 81 security personnel.

Srinagar, where the militancy was down before August 2019, reported more militant related attacks, militant recruitments compared to insurgency prone districts like Shopian, Kulgam, Pulwama, Bandipora and Kupwara.

Top militant commanders gunned down

This year, some of the top militant commanders were gunned down by security forces in different anti-militancy operations in the region.

The slain militant commanders include Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) commander Shamsu-ud-din Sofi of Wagad Tral, Shiraz Molvi the most wanted Hizbul Mujahideen militant of Kulgam active since 2016, top foreign LeT militant Safiulla, Mehran Shalla, a top commander of TRF, Mehrajuddin Halwai a top Hizbul commander active since 2011, Nadeem Abrar LeT commander, Arif Hajam, district commander of LeT, active for close to three years, other district LeT commanders—Ajaz alias Abu Huraira, Ishfaq Ahmad Dar alias Abu Akram, Fayaz War and Babar Ali.

In April this year, Imtiyaz Shah, the chief of the Al Qaeda-inspired outfit Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind was also killed along with his six associates.

The data revealed that this year only 2 militants had surrendered during the gunfights while as last year 7 militants had surrendered.

According to the police, the outfit, which was formed by slain militant commander Zakir Musa, is on the verge of being wiped out from the region.

In August, this year, the founder of TRF militant outfit Abbas Sheikh was also killed by policemen in plainclothes in Srinagar.

Sheikh, who joined militancy in 1996, was considered to be a major “motivator” for young militants and someone who was reviving militancy at the forefront.

The TRF, which came into being after the abrogation of Article 370, has been carrying deadly attacks on security forces, police and political workers but the killing of Sheikh caused a big blow to the outfit.

Arrests and Surrenders

According to the data maintained by South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP), this year, security forces led by J&K police claimed to have arrested 288 militants and Over Ground Workers in the region compared to 300 arrests in 2020 and 185 in the year 2019.

The number of total surrenders was more during the year 2019 with 11 militants surrendering during the anti-militancy operation.

This year, 54 explosions were reported in J&K, snatching the lives of 4 security personnel and 1 civilian. The explosions also left 83 wounded. In the year 2020, 44 incidents had taken place, claiming the lives of 10, which included militants, security personnel and civilians.

Even on December 14, MHA informed the Parliament that 206 militancy-related incidents were reported in J&K till December 5 this year against 244 in 2020.

Creation of SIA & Termination of Employees

In order to probe the militancy-related cases, the J&K government on 1 November,2021, formed a new investigating agency, the State Investigation Agency (SIA).

The new investigating agency was formed in the wake of the termination of government employees for having alleged militant links.

The government claimed the STF being the indigenous agency will “swiftly scrutinise militancy related cases in a time bound manner”.

This year, the J&K government also terminated the services of about 21 employees for alleged links with militant groups. The termination order, issued on the orders of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, quoted Article 311 (2) (c) of the Constitution.

On 6 March, this year the J&K government issued an order to monitor the social media accounts of nearly 450,000 employees.

A month later, on 21 April, administration formed a Special Task Force (STF) to initiate action against government employees suspected of activities against “security of the State”.

The government also directed different departments in August to deny security clearance to passport verification for anyone involved in law and order and stone-pelting cases.

On 20 September this year, the administration even warned its employees against bypassing “proper channels” while approaching higher ups for redressal of any grievance related to service matters. The order stated that employees violating the order would face action.

In October, the government amended Article 226 (2) of the J&K Civil Service Regulations for a provision to retire at any time any government servant in the public interest after he has completed 22 years of service or attained 48 years of age.

Days after the order the Union Territory administration retired 8 officials, including four JKAS officers, who were “found inefficient and acting against the public interest.”

UAPA and Important Timelines

Since the abrogation of Article 370 on 5 August 2019, the J&K government has filed criminal cases against more than 2,300 people in more than 1,200 cases under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967, and 954 people under the Public Safety Act (PSA), 1978.

On 1 September this year, top separatist leader and former Hurriyat Conference (G) Chairman, Syed Ali Shah Geelani died at his Hyderpora residence in Srinagar. Following the death of the 92-year-old Geelani, the authorities imposed a strict security clampdown in the region and blocked internet services and voice calling in the valley.

On the other side, Taliban after taking over Afghanistan, claimed that they have a 'right' to speak for Muslims in Kashmir.

Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen in a television interview said, "We have this right, being Muslims, to raise our voice for Muslims in Kashmir, India, and any other country."

J&K's former Director General of Police, SP Vaid, told The Quint that until Pakistan and ISI stop militant activities, complete peace cannot be seen in J&K.

“Security forces including police, intelligence agencies and government can collectively work to reduce the militant activities in the region but overall Pakistan has to stop the militant machineries. There can be two ways to restrict Pakistan from aiding militancy and inciting trouble in J&K. One could be the dialogue between the two nations and another could be tightening the borders on LoC to avoid infiltration.”

Former Director General of J&K Police SP Vaid

When asked about the government’s claims of linking abrogation of Article 370 with peace and normalcy, Vaid replied that the move has certainly helped to reduce the stone pelting incidents, shutdowns, protests and militant recruitments in the region.