Violence related to terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir has come down by 33 per cent in the past six years after the abrogation of Article 370, the data compiled by the UT police stated.
As per the data, around 1,230 people have lost their lives in terror-related incidents between August 5, 2019, and August 4, 2025. This is a 33 per cent decrease compared to the six years before the revocation of Article 370, when nearly 1,845 people lost their lives.
While there is no denial of the relatively improved numbers and fewer fatalities, it is important to mention that from 2011 to 2017, Jammu and Kashmir region witnessed the mushrooming of terrorist organisations and a surge in terrorism after a Hizbul Mujahideen commander became a poster boy in the region.
It's also pertinent to mention that Jammu and Kashmir witnessed a calm period from 2000-2008 when many terrorist groups disbanded and their commanders were included in the police forces later on.
According to the police stats, the period before the abrogation of Article 370 reported 243 civilian deaths, 475 security personnel deaths, and 1,121 terrorists killed.
In comparison, post-2019, the numbers account for 189 civilians, 204 security personnel, 833 terrorists killed, and four individuals whose identities remain unconfirmed.
According to the data, 2018 recorded the highest number of deaths occurred as a result of terrorism, with a total of 452 fatalities, including 86 civilians and 271 terrorists.
Over the past two years, a continued decline has been observed, with 134 deaths reported in 2023, 127 in 2024, and 71 in 2025. These include 28 civilians, 10 security personnel, and 32 terrorists."
Earlier on July 29, Home Minister Amit Shah informed the Lok Sabha that the Abrogation of Article 370 has severed the roots of the homegrown local militancy.
He said, “There are no longer any local roots of terrorism in J&K. The ecosystem has been destroyed, but not ended. However, contrary to the Home Minister’s claims, an ongoing encounter in the Kulgam forests challenges his statement, as one of the militants killed has reportedly been identified as a local, indicating that the local militancy Shah referred to still persists.
While it's true that numbers have come down significantly due to intensified operations by the security forces, which, according to experts, has forced local terrorists to go underground while giving the lead to the foreign terrorists to take over the operations.
It's natural that when there is less militancy, the outcome would be favourable, as the numbers speak; however, there is no connection between the fewer deaths being associated with the Abrogation of Article 370.
Besides, the militancy and counterinsurgency operations have shifted to Jammu from the Kashmir Valley since 2021, where the fighting between the terrorists and security forces is taking place in the dense forests rather than in and around the civilian areas.
National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah, during his brief interaction with reporters in Shopian yesterday, said, "Militancy remains an enduring reality in Kashmir. It has never ended — and it never will. Complete peace will remain elusive unless the situation in Pakistan improves."
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