The number of civilians injured in 2016 in Jammu and Kashmir following the killing of militant leader Burhan Wani was almost eight times higher than in 2010, when there were widespread protests against army killings, the Lok Sabha was told on Tuesday.
While 8,932 civilians were injured in 2016 against 1,047 in 2010, the number of security personnel injured also went up sharply to 8,378 in 2016 from 5,188 in 2010, Minister of State for Home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir said. Responding to a written question by two MPs, including Congress' Jyotiraditya Scindia and YSR Congress' M Raja Mohan Reddy, the minister gave a table comparing 2010 and 2016.
There were widespread protests both years in the Kashmir Valley. In 2010, people were protesting civilian killings allegedly carried out by the army in Macchil sector.
In 2016, life in the Valley came to a standstill following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen's poster boy Burhan Wani in July.
Ahir said the state government had informed the Centre the law and order situation was much better this year than compared to last year. The state police, he said, had registered 583 cases during the current year till date against 2,897 cases of previous year.
According to data given by Ahir, as many as 107 civilians were injured up to May 31 this year.
The number of civilian deaths in 2010 was 115, 85 in 2016 and 21 so far in the current year, he said.
The steps taken by police include 12,650 miscreants/ separatists either arrested or bound down under substantive and preventive laws since 2016 and imposition of restrictions in the vulnerable areas to thwart such incidents, he said.
"Separatists/trouble mongers have been kept under close surveillance to check their activities," the minister said.