95 police, BSF, CRPF personnel killed

Srinagar, Oct 21: The Jammu and Kashmir police has lost 72 personnel during the counter-insurgency operations in the state.

Director General of state police Gopal Sharma said eleven Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and 12 Border Security Force (BSF) personnel have also laid down their lives during the fight against the militants in the state.

Reading out the names of all the security force personnel who became martyrs during the period from September 1, 2005 to August 31, 2006 in the state, at a police commemortion day held at Zewan, Mr Sharma said they made supreme sacrifice for the country.

Now leading from the front in the war against militants in the state, the state police remained on the second line during the counter insurgency operation for about a decade since the eruption of militancy in 1989.

The force has now become a main target of the militants operating in the state.

The summer tourist season from April to July this year witnessed stepped up violence against police personnel when 29 constables and other ranks lost their lives, adversely affecting the arrival of guests from other states.

Mr Sharma said nine police and a CRPF personnel were killed in April this year followed by eight policemen in May, seven police and a CRPF personnel in July and five police, one CRPF and two BSF personnel in August, five each police personnel in June and January.

However, October last year witnessed the highest number of 16 deaths of security personnel--ten policemen, four BSF and two CRPF.

The remaining laid down their lives during the counter insurgency operations in other months.

Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, former Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah, DGP and others laid floral wreaths on the Samadhi of the martyrs.

A blood donation camp was also organised on the occasion.

The day is being celebrated to remember the ten CRPF personnel who were on deputation to ITBP and sacrificed their lives to repulse the Chinese attack at Hot Springs in Ladakh on this day in 1959.

UNI