Over 1,300 reported missing in J&K in last 20 years

The Jammu and Kashmir government Monday said that 1,378 persons have been reported missing in the state during the last 20 years.

"Missing reports have been in respect of 1,378 persons on account of militancy during the last 20 years," state Home Ministry, headed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, said in a written reply in the Legislative Council.

However, local human rights activists have been claiming that the number of missing persons in the state is around 10,000.

Of the 1,378 missing persons, south Kashmir's Pulwama district accounts for 275 missing persons followed by north Kashmir's Kupwara district (235) and Srinagar (225), it said.  North Kashmir's Baramulla district has 195 cases of missing people in the last 20 years while south Kashmir's Anantnag district has 121 such cases registered there, it said.

Poonch district in Jammu province accounts for the lowest number with three cases of missing persons registered in last 20 years, the Ministry said in the reply.

It also said that ex-gratia relief has been sanctioned in 740 cases, making up nearly 50 per cent of the total cases.

530 cases are under process for ex-gratia relief while as 108 cases were rejected due to adverse report from the police.