In all, 129 civilians and 138 security personnel were killed, the RTI revealed.
New Delhi: Ceasefire violations and cross border firing incidents along the international border and LoC have been increasing in the past 11 years, RTI details have shown. Over 14,000 ceasefire violations and cross border firing incidents were reported along the international border and LoC in the past 11 years. Seeking information from the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Security Section, civil rights activist Prafful Sarda sought details not only of incidents of ceasefire violations, but also of the numbers of Indian Army soldiers, Army officers, local residents and tourists who were injured and lost their lives in ceasefire violations by Pakistan and Chinese Army at LoC and LAC from 2004 till 16 February 2021, including damage to public, private and government property, the compensation amount, if any, and action taken for damage control at LAC and LoC.
The Right to information states the “total number of incidents, the number of Ceasefire Violations/ Cross Border Firing incidents along International Border & LOC from 2010 till 28 February 2021 is 14,411.” About the causalities in these incidents in Jammu and Kashmir from 2010 to 2021 (upto Feburary), it is stated that more than civilians, it’s security forces who got killed and injured. “In 11 years, 129 civilians got killed and 708 were injured. And 138 security forces got killed and 664 were injured in ceasefire violations and cross border firing along the international border and LoC in Jammu and Kashmir”. The RTI table-wise information reveals the details of relief and compensation to them. “Ex-gratia cash relief of Rs 5 lakh is given to next of kin (NOK) in case of death or to the victim of more than 50% disability. Compensation for housing damages/losses, crop losses, livestock losses, stay at guidelines. Compensation of Rs 50,000/- per loss of milch animal is also given. Besides, the Government of Jammu and Kashmir also gives relief to persons injured as per their extant rules, relief camps and displacement etc. to those affected by cross border firings are also reimbursed by Government of India as per National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF),” shared CPIO Sulekha who’s also Director (S-JK).
Concerned, civil rights activist Prafful Sarda said: “Even after the surgical strike and air strike, Pakistan is not in a mood to live in peace. Our brave Army is busy protecting the nation at the borders and we have lost more 660 security forces in the last 10 years. We must settle this once and for all so that we don’t lose any of our brave soldiers in future. As a citizen of this country, I request PM Narendra Modi to give a tough answer to Pakistan in a language they understand so that they don’t dare to target India.” However, no information about public, private and government property damaged due to ceasefire violations through shelling, bombarding and other terror activities at LoC, was shared. “Further information about public, private and government property damaged due to ceasefire violation through shelling, bombarding and other terror activites at LoC and LAC from 2004 till 16/2/2021 is not available with the undersigned CPIO and hence the same may be treated as ‘NIL’.”