india

Updated: Dec 15, 2018 00:00 IST

At least 44 policemen were killed in a series of militant attacks in different parts of Jammu and Kashmir in 2018, which marked the highest number of casualties in the state since 2006. The rebels even abducted and then released family members of the policemen in south Kashmir after the arrest of their relatives.

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs data, till date this year, as many as 87 security personnel, including 44 state police personnel, 32 army jawans, seven CRPF men and one CISF, BSF and SSB jawan, were killed in the state.

Data also showed 230 militants died in encounters with security personnel.

“Our operations this year were result oriented, and in frustration militants killed unarmed policemen by targeting them while they were in their homes, they wanted to bring policemen under pressure. Some of them were martyred during the operations,” said Muneer Ahmad Khan, additional director general of police (law and order).

Last year, 32 policemen were killed and in 2016 the causality figure was 18. In the years 2015 and 2014, 11 and 16 policemen were killed in various militant attacks in different parts of Kashmir.

After a spurt in militant attacks, officials had warned policemen to take precautions while on leave or visiting their native places especially in the areas of south Kashmir, where militant presence is high.

Muneer Khan also said that most of the policemen were killed when they were off duty or they were targeted at “vulnerable places”. Earlier in August, four policemen, who were members of an escort party of deputy superintendent of police, were killed in Bongam in Shopian when militants fired on them from an orchard. The militants also took away their service rifles.

In September, three policemen, including two special officers, were killed few hours after abduction from Kaparan village. Majority of the killings of policemen took place in south Kashmir’s four districts, especially in Shopian which is considered as the hotbed of militancy with youths actively joining militant ranks in the past two year.