NEW DELHI: The killings of terrorists in encounters with the security forces in Jammu & Kashmir continue well into 2019 with 19 terrorists neutralised till February 3. Over the past two years, as the J&K police, CRPF and Army turned up the heat on terrorists in the Valley, as many as 470 of them have suffered fatalities.

The figure of 19 fatal casualties among terrorists in J&K, cited in a written reply filed by MoS (home) Hansraj Ahir to a Lok Sabha question on Tuesday, has now gone up further with five terrorists killed in Kulgam on Sunday and another liquidated on Tuesday. In 2018, as many as 257 terrorists were killed, up from 213 in 2017 and 150 in 2016.

Ahir, in the same reply, informed the lower House that just 2 Left-wing extremists were killed this year till January 31, against 225 in whole of 2018, 136 in 2017 and 222 in 2016.

Zero killings of northeastern insurgents were recorded till January 31 this year against 34 in 2018, 57 in 2017 and 87 in 2016.

In the hinterland, there have been nil fatalities of terrorists since 2017. In 2016, 4 terrorists were killed, Ahir informed the Lok Sabha.

