There has been a 230% increase in ceasefire violations along the LoC in 2017 as compared to 2016, the government informed the Lok Sabha in December last year.

As many as 97 people, including 41 civilians, were killed and 383 others injured in 834 ceasefire violations by the Pakistani troops in the last three years, the Jammu and Kashmir Government said on Monday.

In a written reply to a question by a PDP MLC in the J&K Legislative Council today, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said that 379 ceasefire violations took place along the LoC and IB last year, while 233 violations took place in 2016 and 222 in 2015.

Mufti said that out of the 41 civilians killed in the last three years, 12 were killed in 2017, 13 in 2016 and 16 in 2015. As many as 383 people were injured, including 233 civilians, in the ceasefire violations. Mufti said 79 civilians were injured in 2017, 83 in 2016 and 71 in 2015. The chief minister said that 31 security forces personnel were killed in 2017, 16 in 2016 and 9 in 2015, out of a total of 56 killed in last three years. Of the 150 security forces personnel injured from 2015 to 2017, the chief minister said that 62 were injured in 2017, 74 in 2016 and 14 in 2015.

Ironically, the number of truce violations reported by the state government don’t match the data released by the Union Home Ministry last year. The J&K government seems to have downplayed the figures of Union Home Ministry considerably. But away from the contradictory claims over data, border villages have already been facing a war-like situation, according to local media reports. Notably, the BSF and Pakistan Rangers—that have traditionally been sharing sweets on the occasion of Republic Day, Independence Day, Diwali, Eid and other festivals—did not follow the ritual this Republic Day over ceasefire violations.

“Due to a surge in border hostilities, border residents are living under constant threat and perpetual fear,” says former Minister and JKPCC general secretary Manjit Singh. “During poll campaigns, BJP had announced plots for each family living on the IB. But even after coming to power in the state and centre, the party hasn’t fulfilled the promise.” Ironically, successive governments have failed to provide even basic amenities to border residents, who frequently find themselves trapped between two hostile militaries. Funds made available by the Union Home Ministry under the Border Area Development Programme show dismal results. The ever growing militarisation of border areas after the Kargil war has only made the life of local residents—mostly farmers—miserable.

Schools within five kilometres of the LoC and IB in Jammu province have been closed for the second time this year. The authorities in Rajouri district ordered closure of all 84 schools at the LoC from Sunder Bani to Manjakote for the next three days in view of ceasefire violations by Pakistan army. In January, schools along the IB and the LoC in five districts—Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch—were closed for over a fortnight because of heavy exchange of fire.