40 Kashmir Civilians Killed in Terror Attacks This Year, Annual Toll about Same Since 2017: Home Ministry
News 18A total of 40 civilians were killed in Kashmir in terror-related incidents this year until the end of November, according to the union home ministry, even as the Centre says the annual casualty figure has been around the same over the past five years. “The number of civilian killings has remained in the range of 37-40 every year during the last five years, 2017 to 2021,” minister of state for home Nityanand Rai said in Parliament on Wednesday in response to a question from Congress lawmaker KC Venugopal. “Notwithstanding attempts by the terrorists to target some civilians, a large number of migrant workers continued to stay on in the Kashmir valley and left as usual upon the onset of harsh winters,” Rai said. Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury termed it “complete failure of Kashmir policy” while former J&K chief minister Farooq Abdullah called for talks with Pakistan to resolve the situation.