Terror incidents in Jammu and Kashmir have gone up by 102% in the first five months of 2022 compared to the same period last year, data from terrorist database website South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP) shows.
The Union Territory witnessed 37 killings by terrorists between January and May last year. In the same period this year, the number has risen to 75.
As per the data, security forces eliminated 94 terrorists this year, up 59% from the first five months of 2021.
Seventeen security forces personnel have been killed in the first five months of May this year, six more compared to 2021. The biggest rise has been in the civilian toll from 12 in January-May 2021 to 18 this year.
On Thursday, a 29-year-old bank manager hailing from Rajasthan was shot dead by a terrorist from the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba inside his office premises in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district, making it eighth killing in the Valley since May 1 and the third of a non-Muslim government employee.
Vijay Kumar, posted with the Ellaqui Dehati Bank (EDB), sponsored by State Bank of India, at Arreh Mohanpora branch in the district, received grievous gunshot injuries and died on his way to hospital.
The CCTV footage showed the killer entering the premises first probably to verify whether the victim had come to the office, and within seconds returns with a pistol and fires at Kumar. While one bullet hit the wall, the second hit Kumar leaving him seriously injured, officials said, adding he succumbed to injuries on way to a hospital.
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, along with RAW chief Samant Goel, met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and are believed to have discussed the security situation in the Union Territory. The home minister will be chairing a high-level meeting on Friday to discuss the situation.
The killing came barely two days after a Hindu woman teacher, Rajni Bala, hailing from Jammu’s Samba district, was shot dead by terrorists at a government school in Gopalpora, Kulgam.
The spate of killings started in May this year which included that of Rahul Bhat, a clerk, who was shot dead inside the tehsildar’s office in Chadoora tehsil of Budgam district. Of the eight killings in Kashmir since May 1, three victims were off-duty policemen and five were civilians.
With PTI inputs
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