40 policemen killed in militancy related incidents in J&K this year

Six thousand policemen have been killed while fighting insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir since 1989

40 security forces personnel including 13 policemen were killed in line of duty in Jammu and Kashmir the last one year.

“From 1 September 2019 till now, 13 police men and 27 other security forces personnel were killed in militancy related incidents. The recent causality is that of an inspector Muhammad Ashraf of Anantnag,” Jammu and Kashmir police chief Dilbagh Singh said while speaking at the police commemoration day at Zewan on the outskirts of Srinagar city.

He said so far 6,000 policemen have been killed while performing their duties in J&K in the last more than three decades. “J&K police are committed to bring peace to the Union Territory. We offer supreme sacrifices to prevent anti-peace elements from fomenting trouble,” Singh said.

Policemen, most of them locals, have become vulnerable targets as violence escalates in the region. On October 19, militants shot dead inspector Mohammad Ashraf in Kenalwan area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district while he was returning home after offering prayers.

Although not on the same scale as in the 1990s or early 2000s, militancy-related incidents have been increasing after 2015.

The police chief said that it was because of the professionalism and commitment of the force that today, Prime Minister Narendera Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and other ministers praise the role of J&K police on every occasion.