Jammu,March  :- Militants numerical strength in Jammu &Kashmir dwindling, claim police.This is indicated by the fall in the number of killing of militants in operations launched by the security forces.

Director General of J&K police,Kuldeep Khoda, while confirming it, said that in fact since 2002,when the coalition Government took over,the number of militant killings kept on dwindling from 11707 to 472. He said that during 2007 472 militants were killed in various parts of the state against 581 in 2006,and 917 in 2005.

Police chief said during the last three months of the current year about 60 militants got killed in the hands of the security forces.Senior police functionaries,engaged in counter insurgency operations,said that two factors have resulted in the drop in the number of militants active in the state.First,many among them felt disillusioned with the ongoing Jehad and had come under the scare of elimination by the security forces.And some of them crossed back to Pakistan,others bid farewell to the gun and yet others surrendered.During ther last five years more than 470 militants had surrendered before the security forces.

Secondly,the fall in the level of infiltration from across the LOC also contributed to the decline in the numerical strength of militants in Jammu and Kashmir.

Police said that during the last five years the security forces have been on the offensive with the result there has been marginal drop in the killing of security personnel.Last year 122 security personnel were killed in gun,grenade and IED attacks launched by militants and during the last three months of the current year there were nine casualties,against over 900 between 2004 and 2005.

The security forces guarding the LOC and the international border have been directed to intensify their round the clock patrolling in order to prevent groups of militants,brought on the launching pads across the border,from sneaking into Jammu and Kashmir, said official sources.