Srinagar, 06-Apr: At least 34 persons belonging to minority communities have been killed in Jammu and Kashmir since 2017, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs(MHA) informed Parliament on Wednesday.Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs Nityanand Rai While replying to a question of parliamentarian Mahesh Poodar about attack on minorities in J&K said that in the last five years, 34 members of minorities have lost their lives in militancy related incidents in J&K.While giving details, he said that 11 persons of minorities were killed in 2017, three in 2018, six in 2019, three in 2020 and 11 in 2021.To another question whether there is a mechanism to provide monetary compensation to victims, the minister said that an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakhs is given under the scheme. “Central Scheme for Assistance to Civilian Victims/Family of Victims of militant /Communal/ LWE Violence and Cross Border Firing and Mine/IED Blasts on Indian Territory”.”In addition, Rs1 lakh is paid to the NoKs of civilians killed in militancy related violence under the existing scheme of Government of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.According to data from the last three years, as many as 14 Hindus have been killed in Anantnag, Srinagar, Kulgam, and Pulwama. Four of them were Kashmiri Pandits.”The government has taken several measures to ensure the safety of minorities in the valley. These include robust security and intelligence grid, group security, round the clock checking of nakkas and patrolling in areas where the minorities reside besides proactive operations against militants,” Rai informed the Rajya Sabha.(CNS)
