Noting that the militancy has significantly reduced in Jammu and Kashmir, DGP Dilbag Singh said that 134 youngsters joined terror ranks in the Valley in 2021. Out of the 134, 72 were neutralised while 22 others were arrested

Srinagar: The year 2021 was a major setback for Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir after the Indian Armed Forces went all-out against terror in the Valley, neutralising a total of 182 terrorists, including 44 top ultras, in 100 successful operations. Speaking to reporters, Jammu and Kashmir Director-General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh said that the infiltration bid was also down this year as only 34 terrorists managed to infiltrate the Valley.

Noting that the militancy has significantly reduced in Jammu and Kashmir, Singh said that 134 youngsters joined terror ranks in the Valley in 2021. Out of the 134, 72 were neutralised while 22 others were arrested. In total, 80 terrorists were arrested and 497 people were booked under the stringent UAPA in Jammu and Kashmir in 2021.

"We've completed a target of 100 successful operations and 44 top terrorists have been neutralised this year," said Singh. "Infiltration down this year, only 34 terrorists have managed to infiltrate."

Since the abrogation of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir, security forces have taken a tough stance against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in the Valley. In 2020, they had eliminated over 200 terrorists in more than 100 "successful" counter-terrorism operations.

"We undertook over 100 successful operations in Jammu and Kashmir. Ninety operations took place in Kashmir and 13 in Jammu. As many as 225 terrorists were killed -- 207 in Kashmir and 18 in Jammu division," Singh had said then. "As many as 635 OGWs were arrested and 56 out of them were booked under the Public Safety Act (PSA)."

Earlier in December this year, the Centre had informed that the number of terrorist incidents in Jammu and Kashmir during 841 days after Article 370 was revoked dipped to 496 from the 843 cases reported in the same period before the abrogation.

In a statement in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai had said during April 16, 2017, to August 04, 2019, 843 terrorist incidents were reported in Jammu and Kashmir in which 86 civilians and 78 army personnel were killed.

During the period August 05, 2019, to November 22, 2021 (841 days after the abrogation), 496 terrorist incidents have been reported from Jammu and Kashmir in which 79 civilians and 45 army personnel have been killed, he said.

"The overall statistics shows that there has been decline in terrorist attacks on civilians and army in Jammu and Kashmir," Rai had said, adding that the incidents of infiltration and terrorist attacks have decreased significantly since 2018.

In 2018, 143 incidents of 'Estimated Net Infiltration' were reported from Jammu and Kashmir which had dipped to 141 in 2019, 51 in 2020 and 28 (up to October 30, 2021, the data provided by the minister in his response showed. In 2018, 417 terrorist incidents were reported in Jammu and Kashmir which had decreased to 255 in 2019, 244 in 2020 and 200 (up to November 21, 2021, it showed.