By IANS
New Delhi : Infiltration of terrorists from across the border has marginally increased in Jammu and Kashmir to 256 till June 30 compared to 245 in the corresponding period in the previous year, parliament was informed Tuesday.
While no separate figures were given for June, there was a sharp increase to 82 and 68 during April and May respectively against the same months in 2006, Minister of State for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.
The figures for 2006 for April and May respectively were 43 and 60. For 2005, the figures were 44 and 33 for the two months.
At the same time, Jaiswal quoted the Kashmir government as reporting a “continuous declining trend in the levels of violence during the last three years”.
“The number of terrorist-related violent incidents has come down by 16 percent in 2006 as compared to 2005 and by 33 percent in 2007 (till July) over the corresponding period of 2006,” he added.
In a separate reply, Jaiswal said that 70 security personnel had been killed and 221 injured in the first seven months of the current year in the state. In 2006, 159 security personnel were killed and 484 injured while the figures for 2005 were 204 and 433 respectively.
The figures come even as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a partner in the state’s Congress-led ruling coalition, as also the opposition National Conference have demanded troop reduction in the state, citing an improved security scenario.
Defence Minister A.K. Antony and the Indian Army chief, Gen. J.J. Singh, have categorically ruled out any troop reduction, saying the situation did not warrant this.
Antony, as also Home Minister Shivraj Patil had separately visited the Kashmir in July and June respectively to study the scenario in the state.
Detailing the steps being taken to contain infiltration in Kashmir, Jaiswal said “the government, in tandem with the state government, have adopted a multi-pronged approach” that includes strengthening border management and multi-tiered and multi-modal deployment along the international border and the line of control (LoC) and near the ever-changing infiltration routes.
Other measures included the construction of border fencing, providing improved technology, weapons and equipment to the security forces, synergizing intelligence flow and taking pro-active action against the terrorists in the state.