31 civilians, 39 security forces lost lives in ceasefire post abrogation of Art 370 in J&K

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Tuesday informed the Lok Sabha that at least 31 civilians and 39 security personnel lost their lives in ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and International Border post abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.

The MHA was replying to queries raised in the Lok Sabha about ceasefire violations in Jammu and Kashmir and losses suffered post abrogation of Article 370 including the treatment and compensation to civilians and shelters prepared for the protection of civilians.

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In a written reply, Minister of State (MoS), Home Affairs, GK Reddy said that the incidents of ceasefire violations/cross border firing by Pakistan along the LoC/ IB in Jammu and Kashmir have been reported since decades.

"Immediate and effective retaliation is undertaken by the security forces in such cases," GK Reddy said, adding that 31 civilians were killed and 39 security forces were martyred in such incidents from August 05, 2019 to February 28, 2021.

He said that the affected persons with minor injuries were treated in the hospitals located in the close vicinity and those seriously injured were referred to the tertiary care hospitals.

"Ex-gratia cash relief of Rs 5 lakh was given to next of kin (NoK) in case of death or the victim with more than 50 per cent disability," the reply reads.

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It reads that the compensation for damage to houses/losses, loss of the crop, loss of livestock, stay at relief camps and displacement, etc, to those affected by cross border firings was also reimbursed by the Government of India as per National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) guidelines.

Reddy in his reply said that compensation of Rs 50,000 per loss of a domestic animal was also given. "Besides, the government of Jammu and Kashmir also provides relief to such injured persons as per their extant rules."

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He also informed that the government has sanctioned the construction of 14,460 bunkers including 1,431 community bunkers and 13,029 individual bunkers to provide protection to the people living in the areas close to the IB/LoC and to safeguard human lives in the event of cross border firing.

"Out of these, 7856 bunkers have already been constructed in the border areas of Jammu and Kashmir," the reply reads.

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