176 terrorist infiltrations, 104 security personnel deaths in past 2 years: Govt

Union Minister of State (MoS) for Home Nityanand Rai today informed the Lok Sabha that 176 attempts had been made to infiltrate into J&K from across the border in the past two years. As many as 31 terrorists were killed during such attempts.

Responding to a written question in the House, the minister said 62 security personnel lost their lives and 106 were injured in terrorist violence, including encounters during infiltration, in J&K in 2020. In 2021, 42 security personnel were killed and 117 injured in such incidents.

Rai said the attempts of terrorist infiltration from across the border were mainly in Jammu and Kashmir, which had been affected by terrorist violence, sponsored and supported from across the border.

According the data available, there were 99 attempts of infiltration in 2020 and 77 in 2021 while 19 terrorists were killed in such infiltration attempts in 2020 and 12 terrorists were killed in 2021 and one was arrested, the minister confirmed.

Meanwhile, a Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant was killed in an encounter with security forces in Pulwama district on Tuesday. Based on a specific input regarding the presence of a terrorist in Charsoo village of Awnatipora, a search operation was launched by security personnel, a police spokesman said.

“As per police records, the killed terrorist was part of a group involved in several terror crime cases, including attacks on police, security forces and civilians,” the spokesman said. He said Kashmir IG Vijay Kumar termed this operation very important as it was carried out very close to the Srinagar-Jammu national highway.

Incriminating materials, including an AK-56 rifle, three AK magazines and 80 AK rounds have been seized at the site of the encounter.

(With PTI inputs)