Stone-pelting incidents in Jammu and Kashmir dropped down in 2017: Home Ministry

New Delhi: The number of stone-pelting incidents in Kashmir has dropped down to 664 in 2017 as compared to 2,808 in 2016, the Home Ministry claimed in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

Within a span of one year, the 'reported' incidents of violence have gone down to 172 in 2017 as against 322 last year. In 2016, 247 people lost their lives including 15 civilians, 82 security personnel and 150 terrorists.

Minister of State for Home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir said this while presenting a report on the second day of Parliament Monsoon Session, in response to written questions by two lawmakers - Congress' Jyotiraditya Scindia and YSR Congress' M Raja Mohan. 

The report compared the data of 2010 and 2016. It recorded incidents till July 9, 2017.

Security forces counterveiled nearly 95 terrorists operating in the Valley this year, the ministry said. A total of 21,695 suspected terrorists has been gunned down by them so far.

The ministry also claimed the incidents of violence have also gone down in the Valley. However, the number of civilians injured last year is nearly eight times higher than in 2010. 

According to the Home Ministry, the Kashmir unrest has left over 40,000 people dead.

In response to an Right to Information (RTI) plea filed by Raman Sharma, Jammu resident, the Chief Public Information officer said that more than 13,000 security personnel were injured between 1990 to March 31, 2017. The officer also informed that the Kashmir conflict led to the death of 13,941 civilians over the past 27 years, reported India.com.

The RTI plea reply added that 2001 is regarded as the most violent year in the recent history of Jammu and Kashmir. It recorded the death of 3,552 human lives including  996 civilians, 536 security personnel and 2,020 terrorists.

However, the years 1996 and 1995 witnessed the maximum number of civilian deaths with around numbers 1341 and 1031 respectively.

The span between 2006 to 2012 has been comparatively peaceful as it recorded the minimum number of deaths. 

The year 2012 witnessed deaths of 102 people including 15 civilians, 15 security men and 72 terrorists while 65 security men sustained injuries.