With 586 killings, 2018 proved to be deadliest during the last decade in Kashmir: Report
Srinagar: 2018 was the deadliest in last decade with 586 people killed in different incidents of violence in Kashmir Valley, Association of Parents Of Disappeared Persons and Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) said in a joint report released here on Monday.
“The year 2018 was the deadliest year of the last decade in Indian administered Kashmir as violence peaked during the year resulting in the killing of at least 586 people in different incidents of violence, which is highest in the last decade,” reads the report released here.
Among 586 people killed, 160 are civilians, 267 militants and 159 members of Indian armed forces and Jammu and Kashmir police, it says, according to GNS .
The killing of 267 militants during encounters with armed forces and police is also the highest in the last decade. In fact, there has been a marked uptick in militant killings since 2016 as 145,216 and 267 militants have been killed in Kashmir in 2016, 2017 and 2018 respectively, it says. In the last decade the year 2012 witnessed least number of killings.
“Among 160 civilians killed in 2018, 18 are women. The year also witnessed killing of at least 31 children, accounting for nearly 20% killings of civilians, which is highest in the last ten years,” it said, adding, “The year saw extrajudicial executions of at least 160 civilians with the month of May recording the highest (28) civilians killed this year. November recorded highest (61) killings followed by October with 57 killing.”
South Kashmir, the JKCCS said, continued to witness increased violence as has been observed since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in July 2016.
“The four districts of South Kashmir – Kulgam, Anantnag, Pulwama and Shopian jointly recorded highest number of civilian killings with 85, while North Kashmir districts of Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora recorded 24 civilian killings and the Central Kashmir districts of Srinagar, Ganderbal and Budgam recorded 13 civilian killings.”
As per the report, the “excessive” use of force on civilians continued unabated in 2018 as the killings of civilian demonstrators suggest.
“In 2018, 191 incidents of excessive use of force have been recorded.” The use of force on civilian demonstrators by armed forces in the situation emerging out of encounters with militants lead to 40 “extra-judicial executions”, it says. (GNS)
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