No local terrorist roots now in J&K, only Pakistani infiltrators: Home Minister

New Delhi, Jul 29: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir has significantly declined since the abrogation of Article 370. He added that there are no longer any local roots of terrorism, with terrorists now infiltrating from Pakistan.
While overall terror attacks and casualties have dropped, the number of terrorists neutralised has seen a dramatic 162% rise from 2015 to 2025, Shah said while addressing the Lok Sabha.
Citing data, he said that from 2004 to 2014, the region witnessed over 7,200 terror incidents, leading to the deaths of 714 civilians and 1,068 security personnel. “From 2015 to 2025, the number of terror incidents dropped to 1,525. Civilian deaths during this period stood at 324, while 542 members of the security forces lost their lives,” he said.
The Home Minister attributed these changes to enhanced security operations and the government’s firm decision to revoke Article 370, claiming the move dismantled the “ecosystem” that previously supported terrorism in the region.
Rejecting any possibility of talks with the Hurriyat Conference, Shah labelled the group as being linked to terrorist activities. He reiterated that the government’s top priority remains eradicating terrorism and maintaining law and order in Jammu and Kashmir.
Highlighting recent counter-terror operation ‘Operation Mahadev’, the HM praised the efforts of security forces. “This mission led to the elimination of three terrorists believed to be behind attacks in Pahalgam and Gagangeer,” he said.
Shah said that terrorism in the valley no longer has local roots. “There are no local terrorists now. All operatives are being sent from across the border in Pakistan,” he said.
He further disclosed that over 1,000 individuals were interrogated for more than three hours each during the recent crackdown.
“Using information gathered from these interrogations, sketches of suspects were prepared. This led to the identification of two individuals—Bashir and Parvez—who were allegedly involved in sheltering terrorists. Both have since been apprehended,” he said. (KNO)