The militancy-related incidents in March this year were recorded all-time low since the beginning of militancy in Jammu Kashmir.
As compared to 24 and 18 casualties reported simultaneously in March 2022 and 2021, this year a single casualty of an infiltrator was reported who was killed in the Jebdi Tangdhar area along the Line of Control in North Kashmir’s Kupwara district. Besides, there was a brief exchange of fire in March this year between militants and joint forces in Mitrigam hamlet of South Kashmir’s Pulwama where the ultras managed to escape from the spot.
A single casualty in any month has probably been reported for the first time since the inception of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir.
The data available with the news agency Kashmir News Trust reveals that in March last year (2022) there were 24 casualties. 13 militants were killed in 10 encounters, besides the killing of 7 civilians, 2 cops, a trooper and a soldier. Similarly, in March 2021, there were 18 casualties. 11 militants were killed in 5 encounters, besides the killing of 2 civilians, 3 troopers, a policeman and a soldier.
The data reveals that this year (2023) up to March ending 4 local militants were killed in two encounters in Kashmir Valley. Joint forces also killed 4 infiltrators while in the militant strikes, 8 civilians including two kids and a Kashmiri Pandit succumbed. A soldier Pawan Kumar was also killed in one of the encounters in Awantipora Pulwama while another soldier Hem Raj sustained grievous injuries in the same encounter.
After exchanging fire with the joint forces at Rudbugh village of Central Kashmir’s Budgam and Mitrigam village of South Kashmir’s Pulwama, militants managed to escape.
Two infiltrators were killed in Balakote Poonch while another was killed in Saidpora forward area of Tangdhar Kupwara. In the same Kupwara district, an infiltrator was killed in Jebdi Tanghdar area along Line of Control.
Four militants were neutralized in encounters at the main market Budgam and Potgampora Awantipora. The slain militants were identified as Arbaz Ahmed Mir of Putrigam and Shahid Ahmed Sheikh of Kesrigam Kakapora, Aquib Mushtaq of Malangpora and Aijaz Ahmed Bhat of Syedabad Pustana Tral all natives from Pulwama district.
Militants also lobbed a grenade in Eidgah Srinagar resulting in injuries to a civilian. In a militant attack, the son of a slain policeman Asif Ganai son of late Ali Muhammad was injured after he was fired upon by militants at his native village of Hasanpora Bijbehara. This year, militants also shot dead JK Bank security guard Sanjay Sharma son of Kashi Nath at his native Achan village of Pulwama district. [KNT]