J&K saw decline in infiltration in 2004: US report

Infiltration into Jammu and Kashmir [ Images ] significantly declined in 2004 due to the fence put up by India along the Line of Control [ Images ] and an effective security mechanism, the US State Department has said.

The department made this assessment in its annual "Country Reports on Terrorism [ Images ] 2004" released on Wednesday.

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It said Indian security forces were increasingly effective, particularly in Kashmir.

The report noted a significant decline in infiltration from the Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir during 2004, attributing the drop in large part to the fence India constructed during the year-long ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir, the report said.

More than 500 civilians were killed in the attacks and militant outfits such as Lashkar e-Tayiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed claimed responsibility for the strikes on prominent Indian politicians, it said.

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