Civilian casualties on rise since 2015: 126 civilians die this year

Srinagar: The civilian killings in last four years has increased manifold in Kashmir Valley. In contrast to 41 civilian killings in 2015, at least 126 civilians lost their lives in first eleven months of current year-2018, reported CNS a local news gathering agency in Srinagar .
From 2015 to 2018, Kashmir has witnessed 383 civilian killings. I26 civilians died in 2016 and so far the number of civilian casualties is same in the first 11 months of current year. In 2017, at least 86 civilians including 8 Yatris became prey of militancy related incidents in Jammu and Kashmir.
In May this year, there were maximum civilian casualties and the number is 21. As per data 12 civilians were killed in January, 6 in February, 12 in March, 18 in April, 11 in June, 9 in July, 7 each in August and September, 13 in October and 10 in November.
In 2015, 4 former militants affiliated with Hurriyat were killed by unknown gunmen in the month of June in Sopore town who included Sheikh Altaf of Iqbal Nagar, Khurshid Ahmed Bhat at Bomai, Mehrajuddin Dar at Badambagh Sopore and Ajaz Ahmed Reshi at Mundji Sopore.
Several political workers fall prey to bullets in all these years. They included a National Conference Sarpanch Fayaz Ahmed Dar of Pulwama, PDP worker Bashir of Qasbayar Pulwama, government gunman Abdul Rashid Billa of Hajin, a Public Prosecutor and NC worker Imtiyaz Ahmed Khan of Pinjora Shopian, PDP District President Advocate Abdul Gani Dar of Pulwama, a Janta Dal United worker Ajaz Ahmed of Pulwama, a former panch and PDP leader Ghulam Rasool Ganai of Anantnag and BJP district president Pulwama Shabir Ahmed Bhat who was shot dead at Pathan Pulwama.