Recent statistics by the Jammu and Kashmir police offers a hope of peace in Jammu and Kashmir in future. These statistics reveal that there was a drop of 40 percent in terrorism-related incidents as compared to last year.

The number of militancy-related incidents has come down below four-digits ~ just around 700 this year; this was lowest number in 20-year-long history of terrorism.

Civilian casualties were 89, this number is lower than number of civilian deaths in any previous year.

Jammu, Dec 26 : Major General D. L. Chaudhary, General Officer Commanding (GoC), Tiger Division today ruled out any tension on border with Pakistan but said that army is prepared for any situation.

Talking to the media here, General Chaudhary said, there are reports of some activity at the border and the Army was prepared to meet the situation as it arises.

Srinagar, Dec 25 : It was ''curtains down'' for the polls to the State legislature in Kashmir on Wednesday, bringing to an end the crucial final phase of elections in the region.

Addressing a news conference here, B R Sharma, Chief Electoral Officer of Jammu and Kashmir expressed satisfaction at the peaceful conclusion of the polls.

"I feel very happy that the people could exercise their universal franchise freely and faithfully. Elections have gone completely peacefully. The biggest satisfaction is that the turnout of the voters has been unprecedented," he added.

Ghulam Nabi Azad, former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir was one of the first voters to exercise his right during the final phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls on Wednesday. He said that the elections were "historic".

Accompanied by his wife, Shamima Azad, the former CM said, "These polls are historic as compared to 1996 and 2002 ones as the separatist's call for poll boycott has been rejected and people are no longer getting carried away by hollow slogans of separatists or those parties trying to create a divide."

Jammu, Dec 24 : Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad is optimistic of Congress''s victory in state and said people will vote for development.

Azad, who was one of the first voters to exercise his franchise today, said, "People have rejected negative politics based on regional and religious slogans."

He added that there would be no coalition with any party. We have the numbers.

Two days ahead of the polling in Jammu and Samba districts, Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu police have arrested the state chief of Harkat-ul-Jehad-e-Islami (HuJI). The arrested militant was purportedly involved in several terror acts including the serial blasts at Faizabad and Varanasi.