NEW DELHI, Jan. 17 (UPI) -- The Indian Interior Ministry says the northeastern state of Assam topped the list for militancy-related violence nationwide last year.
Ministry figures said Assam accounts for the death of more than 500 people in militant-related violence in 2007, more than terrorism-hit Jammu & Kashmir and the Maoist-hit state of Chhattisgarh.
"In fighting insurgency, at least 25 security force personnel lost their lives while they succeeded in neutralizing 120 armed rebels. ... Militants, taking the total death toll to 505 during the year in Assam, killed more than 290 civilians," an Interior Ministry official said Thursday.
Chhattisgarh, which came second in terms of violence and deaths, recorded the deaths of about 300 people, 290 of them security personnel.
Jammu & Kashmir, at No. 3, had 271 deaths during the year.
In terms of number of incidents and number of militant outfits, the northeastern state of Manipur topped the list, ministry figures said. Despite a cease-fire with Naga insurgent groups, more than 150 people, including 45 civilians, were killed in Nagaland state. Most of the violent attacks were the fallout of clashes between the two rival separatist groups, National Socialist Council of Nagaland (I-M) and NSCN (K), the official said.
