Eight security forces personnel and four civilians were killed in militancy-related incidents while 23 militants were killed during a month-long halt in operations in Kashmir announced by the Centre in the month of Ramadhan last year, the Home Ministry has said.
The Centre had in May last year directed security forces notto launch operations in Jammu and Kashmir during Ramadhan to help Muslimsobserve the holy month in a “peaceful environment”.
As many as 23 militants, eight security forces personnel andfour civilians were killed in militancy-related incidents from May 17, 2018, toJune 17, 2018, during the Ramadhan truce, Director (S-JK), Ministry of HomeAffairs, Sulekha said in a reply to an RTI application filed by Jammu-basedactivist Rohit Choudhary.
She added that 37 security personnel and 33 civilians werealso injured during the period.
Five militants were arrested during the truce period, theMHA said.
PDP president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti hadon Saturday appealed to the Centre and the militants to announce ceasefire inthe state for Ramzan so that the “people get some relief”.
“The month of Ramadhan is starting after a couple ofdays and so, I appeal the government of India that ours is a Muslim-majoritystate and people here are facing difficulties.
“It is a month of prayer and so I request them (Centre)to announce a ceasefire like the last year so that crackdowns, searchoperations and encounters are stopped and people get some relief,” she hadtold reporters here.
It was on the request of Mehbooba — when she was heading aPDP-BJP coalition government in the state — that the Centre had announced theceasefire during the month of Ramadhan last year.