The killing of seven Hindu pilgrims in southern Kashmir enroute from the holy cave of Amarnath is the latest bloody statistic in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), which has witnessed a 45 percent rise in terrorism-related deaths – and 164 percent increase in civilian deaths alone – over the year ending 30 June 2017 according to an IndiaSpend analysis of data from the South Asian Terrorism Portal, run by the New Delhi-based Institute for Conflict Management, a nonprofit.
Unidentified terrorists reportedly opened fire on a police vehicle at around 8 pm on 10 July. When police retaliated, the terrorists fired indiscriminately, and a bus full of pilgrims returning from Amarnath was caught in the crossfire, according to the police. Others said there was no crossfire and the pilgrims were targets, with later reports saying the bus was attacked twice in three minutes.
The Kashmir Police blamed the Laskhar-e-Taiba (LeT), a terror group, for the attack, alleging it was masterminded by Pakistani terrorist Abu Ismail. LeT spokesperson Abdullah Ghaznavi, however, denied the charges and blamed “Indian agencies” for the “highly reprehensible act”, the deadliest on Amarnath pilgrims in 15 years.
Kashmiris, including separatists, were quick to condemn the attack.
Widespread criticism of the terrorists in Kashmir drew a reaction from India’s Home Minister, Rajnath Singh.
Over 18 Years, 52 Pilgrims Killed in Five Attacks
Over the past 18 years, at least 52 Amarnath pilgrims have been killed in five terrorist attacks. The deadliest attack was mounted by LeT terrorists on 1 August 2000. That attack left 21 pilgrims dead in Pahalgam.
The latest attack comes hours after a curfew and social-media ban was lifted in the Kashmir Valley after restrictions were imposed in anticipation of a possible attack to mark the death anniversary of Hizbul Mujahideen leader Burhan Wani.
Wani was gunned down by security forces a little over a year ago on 8 July 2016. What followed were violent protests, several months of curfew and an overall deterioration in J&K’s security situation.
Death Toll of Security Forces, Civilians up in 1 Year
The number of security personnel killed in terrorist violence has nearly doubled from 51 in the year preceding Wani’s death to 98 in the following year, according to an analysis of data compiled by SATP.
The SATP compiles data on fatalities due to terrorism from media reports. The data are provisional and compiled as on 10 July 2017.
On 8 July 2017, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Pakistan army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa paid tributes to Wani on his first death anniversary. Sharif said Wani’s death “infused a new spirit in the struggle for freedom” in the Kashmir Valley.
The 45 percent increase in deaths of civilians, security personnel and terrorists from 216 in 2015-16 to 313 in 2016-17 is the highest year-on-year percentage increase over the past five years.
Civilian deaths have increased 164 percent, as we said, from 14 in 2015-16 to 37 in 2016-17 while terrorist deaths have risen 18 percent during this period to 178 in 2016-17.
India has had successes against terrorism – both on the security and diplomatic front.
On 27 May 2017, Wani’s successor Sabzar Bhat was killed in an anti-terrorist operation by security forces.
On 27 June 2017, United States designated Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin a “global terrorist,” ahead of Modi’s meeting with American President Donald Trump in Washington, DC.
Salahuddin also leads the United Jihad Council, an umbrella organisation for anti-India terrorist organisations such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, known to operate out of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.
Salahuddin has openly admitted to carrying out attacks against India, including on an Indian Air Force base in Pathankot, Punjab, on 2 January 2016.
(The author is a Mumbai-based freelance writer and defence analyst. This article has been published in an arrangement with IndiaSpend.)
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