Violence has come down in JK: Azad

Jammu, Mar 16 (UNI) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today said the incidents of violence have come down considerably during the past several years following state government's efforts to improve the situation.

Mr Azad in reply to a question, informed the state legislative assembly that the total number of political activists killed by terrorists during 2005 was 39, while no such incident took place upto February 15 this year.

Similarly, 35 police personnel were killed last year while the number stood at three this year. The killings of civilians stood at 517 in 2005 and 18 in 2006 till February 15, 2006, he added.

The Chief Minister said eight suicide attacks were carried out during 2005 in which 17 security personnel, six civilians and 13 terrorists were killed.

While 55 Special Police Officers and Village Defence Committee members (SPO/VDC) were killed in 2005, only four such killings took place this year, he said.

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