Jammu: As many as 11 security forces personnel were killed while 24 others injured in 208 incidents of firing from across Lone of Control (LoC) in Jammu region last year, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said Friday.
25 civilians were also injured in the firing from across the LoC.
In a written reply to a question of Congress member Sham Lal Bhagat in Legislative Council, the Chief Minister said,”11 security personnel were killed and 25 civilians and 24 security force personnel were injured in 208 incidents of LoC firing in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch districts in 2013.”
Giving a break up, Omar said 9 security personnel were killed and seven personnel and six civilians were injured in 143 incidents along LoC in Poonch district, followed by killing of one security personnel  and injuries to 14 security  personnel and 18 civilians in 41 incidents in Jammu district.
It was followed by killing of one security man and injury to one security man in 12 incidents in Samba district, followed by injuries to two security personnel and a civilian in 10 incidents of cross-border firing besides no casualties in two incidents of firing in Rajouri district, he said.
Omar said that an ex-gratia relief was paid as per norms notified by the state government. Government is providing financial assistance to the handicapped persons, including those residing in border areas, under different schemes, Omar said, adding, however, there is no scheme exclusively meant for the payment of either compensation or rehabilitation of affected persons of border areas in general.
Rs 750 per month is being paid as a monthly pension to the persons rendered handicapped by cross-border shelling or firing, followed by Rs 400 per month to handicapped persons other than that, he said.— PTI

KR Desk