Twenty-eight people, including civilians and security personnel, have been killed in 11 terror-initiated incidents and 24 counter-terror operations up to July 21 this year, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

Responding to a query from BJP MP Pradeep Kumar Singh, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said that there has been a decline in the number of terror incidents in Jammu and Kashmir compared to previous years.

Rai shared data indicating that 14 security personnel and 14 civilians were killed up to July 21 this year. In 2023, there were 44 deaths (30 security personnel and 14 civilians) in 46 terrorist-initiated incidents and 48 counter-terror operations.

In 2018, 146 people (91 security personnel and 55 civilians) were killed in 228 terrorist-initiated incidents and 189 counter-terror operations in the erstwhile state. The data also revealed 1,328 organized stone-pelting incidents and 52 hartals in 2018.

The union minister attributed the decline in terror incidents to the central government’s “zero tolerance” policy against terrorism.

“The government’s approach is to dismantle the terror ecosystem. Security measures are being strengthened to maintain peace and stability in Jammu and Kashmir,” Rai said.

Strategies to combat terrorism include continuous actions against terrorists, dismantling support structures, cracking down on terror financing, banning anti-national organizations and conducting preventive operations to expose terrorism supporters, he added.

Additionally, measures such as enhancing the counter-insurgency grid, modernizing security equipment, setting up round-the-clock checkpoints, intensified Cordon and Search Operations (CASO), real-time intelligence sharing, and maintaining day and night area dominance are being implemented, the minister said.