New Delhi, Jul 25: Stone pelting incidents in Jammu and Kashmir had come down during the suspension of operations in the month of Ramzan, Union Minister Hansraj Gangaram Ahir said today.
He said the Centre on May 16 had issued instructions to the security forces and army not to undertake offensive operations during the period of Ramzan in Jammu and Kashmir.
“During the period from May 17 to June 17, 2018, as many as 117 incidents of stone pelting were reported in Jammu and Kashmir as against 219 during the period of April 15 to May 16, 2018,” Ahir said in the Rajya Sabha, replying to a written question.
Meanwhile, Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre told the Lok Sabha today that security forces have killed 581 militants since 2015 while 69 personnel died in ceasefire violations along the LoC and the India-Pakistan border in Jammu and Kashmir,.
In 2015, 108 militants were killed by security forces followed by 150 in 2016, 213 in 2017 and 110 in 2018 (up to July 22) along the Line of Control (LoC) and the border in J&K, Bhamre said in a written response to a question in the Lower House.
He said 44 personnel of the Army and 25 of the Border Security Force (BSF) were killed in ceasefire violations since 2015.
The LoC and the India-Pakistan border in J&K have been volatile. In May, the Director Generals of Military Operation (DGMO) of India and Pakistan agreed to restore peace along the LoC.
Bhamre said as per the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) database on military expenditure, the military spending of China stood at USD 2,16,031.30 million and USD 2,28,230.70 million in 2016 and 2017 respectively. On the other hand, India spent USD 56,637.60 million and USD 63,923.70 million in 2016 and 2017 respectively.
