December 30, 2003	Tuesday	Ziqa’ad 6, 1424

SRINAGAR, Dec 29: Violence has fallen substantially in occupied Kashmir since the start of a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, India said on Monday.

“Not only have the borders remained absolutely quiet for the first time, militancy-related incidents within the state showed a 32 per cent decline as compared to the corresponding period last year,” an official statement said.

The statement came as police said there were nine deaths overnight and Monday in occupied Kashmir.

The ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) and on the Siachen Glacier in the Himalayas went into effect on Nov 26.

The statement reported a “substantial decrease in the level of (rebel) violence” since the ceasefire’s start with 221 incidents such as grenade and rocket attacks compared to 342 during the same period in 2002.

Along the LoC, where India and Pakistan routinely traded artillery and other small-arms fire, often killing civilians, there has been no firing.

In all, 172 people have died in the restive region since the truce began, including 106 rebels killed by Indian troops, the statement said. During the same period in 2002, 224 people died, including 127 rebels.

The militants and Indian forces have said the truce does not apply to clashes between them.—AFP