Counter-terrorist operations claim 92 soldiers in J&K since 2015: Government

NEW DELHI: Counter-terrorist operations claimed 149 defence personnel over the last three years, of which 92 alone were reported in conflict-hit Jammu and Kashmir, the government said today.

In a written response to a question in Lok Sabha, Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence Subhash Bhamre said 27 defence personnel lost their lives in counter-terrorist operations in 2015.

The number spiralled to 55 in 2016 and 10 until March 15 this year. Manipur saw a total of 32 casualties, of which 23 defence personnel died in 2015, eight in 2016 and one until March 15.

Over the last three years, 12 defence personnel died in Nagaland, six in Arunachal Pradesh, two in Assam and one in Punjab.

In a response to another question, Bhamre said, the Indian navy reported 21 accidents since 2014, in which 10 lives were lost.

Forty-two officers/sailors have been held responsible for the accidents by 21 Boards of Inquiry and disciplinary action has been taken against 32 officers and sailors.

In response to another question, Bhamre said, as on December 31, 2016, there are 10,996 war widows registered with the Zila Sainik Offices. The Army alone constitutes 10,763 of this number.

Replying to another question, the minister said the government has constituted a committee to examine and give recommendations on change of promotion policy and "quantified system of selection" for officers in the army.

The committee comprises of Lt Gen (retd) G S Katoch and Lt Gen (retd) A K Ahuja.