Terror attacks in J&K down since 2018; Maoist violence reduced by 77%: Centre

New Delhi, July 20: There has been a substantial decline in terrorist attacks from 2018 to 2021, Union Minister Nityanand Rai informed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

In a written reply to Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, Rai said the Central government has a "policy of zero tolerance against terrorism and the security situation has improved significantly in Jammu and Kashmir."

The incidents of terrorist attacks also decreased significantly since 2018 in Jammu and Kashmir. A total of 229 terrorist attacks were reported in 2021; 244 in 2020; 255 in 2019; and 417 in 2018, the Minister of State for Home Affairs said.

In these attacks in the Union Territory, Rai said a total of 42 security force personnel were killed in 2021. Before that, 62 security personnel were killed in 2020, 80 in 2019 and 91 in 2018.

A total of 41 civilians were killed in 2021, following 37 in 2020 and 39 each in 2019 as well as 2018, he noted.

Meanwhile, the incidents of Naxal violence reduced by 77 per cent from all-time high of 2,258 in 2009 to 509 in 2021, Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai told the Rajya Sabha.

While giving a written reply to the query of Congress MP Akhilesh Prasad Singh, Rai said "The steadfast implementation of the 'national policy and action plan to address Left Wing Extremism (LWE) 2015 has resulted in a consistent decline in LWE violence".

"The incidents of LWE violence have reduced by 77 per cent from all-time high of 2,258 in 2009 to 509 in 2021. Similarly, the resultant deaths (civilians and security forces) have reduced by 85 per cent from all-time high of 1,005 in 2010 to 147 in 2021," the Minister said.