Jammu and Kashmir 2024: 127 Lives Lost in Militancy-Related Incidents
Srinagar, Dec 31, KNT: In 2024, Jammu and Kashmir faced an exceptionally tumultuous year marked by escalating militant activity. Over the year, 69 militants were killed in various encounters, including 24 local militants, 27 non-local militants, and 18 infiltrators. The year also saw the loss of 29 army soldiers, including five officers, with many injured in different militancy-related incidents across the region. Three Army potters, a cop, 2 CRPF personnel, 6 local civilians and 17 non-local civilians were also killed in the year 2024.
Local Militants: The ongoing militancy claimed the lives of 24 local militants, some of whom were leaders within the ranks of the Lashkar-e-Taiba. Among the slain militants, included Bilal Rasool Bhat from Shopian, Let Commander Basit Dar, Umar Khan, and Riyaz Ahmad Dar from Pulwama, and several others from Kulgam, Shopian, Budgam, and Anantnag districts. These militants were killed during gunfights with the joint forces in various areas across the region.
Non-Local Militants: At least 27 non-local militants were also neutralized in encounters throughout the year. Their deaths occurred in various districts, including Baramulla, Kulgam, and Kupwara.
Infiltrators: The army successfully neutralized 18 infiltrators this year, mainly during gunfights along the Line of Control in areas like Sabura Nalla (Baramulla), Keran Sector (Kupwara), and Nowshera (Rajouri).
Losses in the Armed Forces: The year 2024 witnessed the killings of 29 soldiers including five officers. Among the casualties were soldiers killed during encounters in volatile areas such as Nowshera, Kulgam, and Poonch, as well as in targeted attacks on military posts and convoys. The tragic attack in the Badnota area of Kathua resulted in the deaths of five soldiers, while several others were injured in encounters throughout the region.
Injuries to Armed Forces Personnel: Alongside the fatalities, 55 men in uniform were injured in militant-related incidents, ranging from landmine blasts to direct gunfire. These soldiers sustained injuries while engaging militants in forests, checkpoints, and during ambushes in several districts including Doda, Kathua, and Poonch.
Civilian Casualties: The civilian population in Jammu and Kashmir also bore the brunt of the violence. A total of 6 local civilians lost their lives due to militant attacks. Among them were a government employee in Rajouri, a BJP Sarpanch in Shopian, and a civilian in a mistaken identity incident in Samba. Additionally, non-local civilians, including 17 migrant workers and pilgrims, were killed in targeted attacks across the region. The most significant of these incidents occurred when militants ambushed a bus carrying pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, leading to the deaths of at least 10 individuals.
Army Potters and Police Losses: In addition to army personnel, three army potters lost their lives in militant attacks. Rajesh Kumar died in an explosion near the LoC in Rajouri, while two others were killed during a militant attack on an army vehicle in Gulmarg, Baramulla. In the police force, a head constable was killed in Kogmandali village of Kathua district.
Militant Attacks: The year witnessed several major attacks. The first of 2024 occurred when militants targeted an army convoy in Krishna Ghati, Poonch, although there were no casualties. However, the most lethal of these attacks occurred in Kathua’s Badnota area, where five soldiers were killed. Militants also carried out attacks on police posts in Udhampur, Rajouri, and Kathua.
Encounters Across Jammu and Kashmir: In terms of counterinsurgency operations, encounters were reported in various areas, from Srinagar’s Khanyar and Dachigam to Bandipora’s Gurez Sector and Baramulla’s Uri Sector. In the northern districts of Kupwara and Rajouri, several gunfights took place, particularly in areas like Machil Sector, Kamkari Sector, and Nowshera. Notable encounters also occurred in the forests of Doda, Poonch, and Kishtwar, with security forces battling militants in challenging terrain.
VDG Members: The Village Defense Guard (VDG) also suffered losses, with three members killed and one injured in different militant attacks. These local defense groups, which assist security forces in maintaining order in rural areas, have increasingly been targeted by militants. [KNT]
