India

Casualties

In December 2022, there were seven incidents of explosive weapon use recorded in India, five of which resulted in eight civilian casualties, two of whom were killed and six injured. Civilian casualties included at least five children and one woman. Civilians accounted for 57% of all 14 casualties, as six armed-actor casualties were also recorded, three of whom were killed and three injured. 

The highest casualty incident took place on 06December 2022 when two children and a woman were injured in an IED attack by unknown assailants in Basirhat city, West Bengal.

Sources: India Today

Casualties

In November 2022, there were 10 incidents of explosive weapon use recorded in India, which resulted in 16 civilian casualties, 14 of whom were injured and 2 killed. Civilians accounted for 89% of all casualties, as two armed-actor casualties were also recorded (1 injured, 1 killed). 

The use of directly-emplaced weapons was reportedly the cause of all civilian casualties. Specifically, the use of IEDs resulted in 15 civilian casualties and landmines in one civilian casualty. 

The highest casualty incident took place on 27November 2022 when four civilians were injured in an IED attack in Jagaddal, West Bengal, during an altercation due to the volume of the music at a wedding.

Sources: ANI, PTI

Casualties

In September 2022, there were six incidents of explosive weapon use recorded in India, five of which resulted in eight civilian casualties, all of whom were injured. At least one civilian casualty was a woman. Civilians accounted all but one of the total nine casualties of explosive weapon use in September, as one armed-actor was also killed. 

The highest casualty incident took place on 28 September 2022, when two civilians were injured in an IED explosion on an empty bus in Udhampur town’s Domali Chowk area in Jammu and Kashmir. Another blast on an empty bus eight hours later caused no casualties.

Sources: Tribune India, Hindustan Times, ANI

Casualties

In October 2022, there were six incidents of explosive weapon use recorded in India, five of which resulted in 16 civilian casualties, four of whom were killed and 12  injured. At least seven civilian casualties were children. Civilians accounted for all but one of the total 17 casualties of explosive weapon use in October, as one armed-actor was also injured. 

The highest casualty incident took place on 18 October 2022, when six civilians were injured in IED attacks during clashes between rival groups ahead of the student union polls in Patna, Bihar.

Sources: IANS

Casualties

In August 2022, there were 16 incidents of explosive weapon use recorded in India, 11 of which resulted in 40 civilian casualties, three of whom were killed and 37 injured. At least two civilian casualties were children, and one was a woman. Civilians accounted for 85% of all 47 casualties of explosive weapon use in August, as seven armed-actor casualties were also recorded, four of whom were killed and three injured. 

The majority of civilian casualties, 98% (39), occurred in populated areas. Specifically, 40% (16) occurred at public gatherings, 23% (9) in entertainment venues, 20% (8) in urban residential areas, 8% (3) in villages, 5% (2) in police stations, and 3% (1) in commercial premises. 

The districts in which civilian casualties were reported in India were Madhya Pradesh (16 civilian casualties), Jammu and Kashmir (16), Uttar Pradesh (2), West Bengal (2), Jharkhand (2), Himachal Pradesh (1), and Kerala (1).

The majority of civilian casualties, 53% (21), were caused by unknown non-state actors’ use of explosive weapons, and 47% (19) of civilian casualties were caused by groups of unknown name and status.  

The use of directly-emplaced weapons caused the majority, 60% (24), of civilian casualties, specifically non-specific IEDs. Ground-launched weapons caused 40% (16) of civilian casualties, specifically grenades. 

The highest casualty incident took place on 14 August 2022, when a twelve-year-old boy threw a bomb he had taken from the Army firing range into a crowd, killing himself and another man, and injuring 15 civilians. The incident occurred in Indore, Madhya Pradesh.

The number of incidents of explosive weapon use in India in August 2022 saw a rise from July, in which six incidents caused 12 civilian casualties, all of whom were injured. In June, there were eight reported incidents of explosive weapon use which caused eight civilian casualties, all of whom were injured.

Sources: ANI, Hindustan Times

Casualties

In July 2022, there were six incidents of explosive weapon use recorded in India, five of which resulted in 12 civilian casualties, all of whom were injured. At least three civilian casualties were children, and one was a woman. Civilians accounted for 92% of casualties of explosive weapon use in July, as one armed actor was also injured. 

The highest casualty incident took place on 04 July 2022, when six civilians were injured in an IED attack during a birthday party, when a group of young people threw the IED at the celebrants, in Prayagraj. 

Sources: Hindustan Times, ANI

Casualties

In June 2022, there were 12 incidents of explosive weapon use recorded in India which resulted in eight civilian casualties, all of whom were injured. At least two civilian casualties were women, and one was a child. Civilians accounted for 30% of casualties of explosive weapon use in June, as there were also 19 armed-actor casualties, five of whom were killed and 14 injured. 

The highest casualty incident took place on 22 June 2022, when three civilians were injured after an IED was thrown into their house in Surapratapur, Odisha. The perpetrators were unknown. 

Sources: PNS, Prameyna News

Casualties

In May 2022, there were 13 incidents of explosive weapon use recorded in India which resulted in 44 civilian casualties. Of these, seven were killed and 37 injured. At least three recorded civilian casualties in May were children. There were also 10 recorded armed-actor casualties, all of whom were injured. 

The majority of civilian casualties, 98% (43), occurred in populated areas. Specifically, 63% (28) occurred on public transport, 11% (5) in public buildings, 9% (4) in commercial premises, 7% (3) in transport related infrastructure, 5% (2) in villages, and 2% (1) in urban residential areas. 

The regions in which civilian casualties were reported in India were Jammu and Kashmir (35 civilian casualties), Manipur (5), Uttar Pradesh (2), West Bengal (1), and Rajasthan (1).

The majority of civilian casualties, 87% (39), were caused by unknown non-state actors’ use of explosive weapons. One civilian was injured by state actors’ use of explosive weapons, when a shepherd grazed goats on a restricted state firing range and an unexploded ordnance blew up. The remaining 9% (4) of civilian casualties were caused by actors of unknown name and status. 

The use of directly emplaced weapons was the cause of 80% (35) of civilian casualties, specifically non-specific IEDs. Ground-launched weapons were the cause of 16% (7) of civilian casualties, specifically grenades. Unexploded ordnance of unclear launch methods were the cause of the remaining 5% (2) of civilian casualties. 

The highest casualty incident took place on 13 May 2022, when four civilians were killed and 24 injured in an IED attack by unknown non-state actors on a bus in Katra (Jammu and Kashmir).  

The number of incidents of explosive weapon use in India in May 2022 saw a sharp increase from April, in which eight incidents were recorded that caused 12 civilian casualties (two killed and 10 injured). However, the number of incidents of explosive weapon use remains lower than March, in which 17 reported incidents caused 80 civilian casualties (19 killed, 61 injured).

Sources: First Post, India Today, Times of India

Casualties

In April 2022, there were seven incidents of explosive weapon use recorded in India, five of which resulted in nine civilian casualties, one of whom was killed and eight injured. These civilian casualties included at least six children and two women. Civilians accounted for 56% of the total 16 casualties, as there were also seven recorded armed-actor casualties, all of whom were injured. 

The incident with the highest recorded number of civilian casualties took place on 24 April 2022, when five children were injured while playing with a crude bomb in West Bengal. The one civilian fatality took place on 22 April 2022, when a woman was killed by an IED in Jharkhand, reportedly detonated by the Communist Party of India (Maoists, also known as Naxalites).

Sources: New Indian Express, Republic World, Times of India, Deccan Herald

Casualties

In March 2022, there were 16 incidents of explosive weapon use recorded in India, 11 of which resulted in 77 civilian casualties, 19 of whom were killed and 58 injured. These civilian casualties included at least four children and three women. Civilians accounted for 86% of the total 90 casualties, as there were also 13 recorded armed-actor casualties, one of whom was killed and 12 injured. 

The majority of civilian casualties, 96% (74), occurred in populated areas. The locations in which civilian casualties occurred were urban residential areas (61 civilian casualties), villages (11), commercial premises (1), a market (1) and agricultural land (1). No information was provided on the location of one civilian casualty. 

The states in which civilian casualties from explosive weapons were recorded were Jammu and Kashmir (50), Bihar (20), Odisha (3), Chhattisgarh (1), Manipur (1), Uttar Pradesh (1), and West Bengal (1).

More than half of civilian casualties, 55% (42), were caused by directly-emplaced weapons, specifically improvised explosive devices. Ground-launched weapons, specifically grenades, were the reported cause of 45% (35) of civilian casualties. 

Non-state actors were the reported perpetrator in the case of all civilian casualties, with the Communist Party of India (Naxals) specifically named as the perpetrator in the case of one civilian casualty. The perpetrator group was unknown in the case of 99% (76) of civilian casualties. 

The incident with the highest recorded number of civilian fatalities took place on 4 March 2022, when at least 12 people were killed and several more injured (though the number of those injured was unspecified) by the detonation of improvised explosive devices in an urban residential area of Bhagalpur, Bihar.

March 2022 saw a relative continuity in the reported number of incidents of explosive weapon use in India, with 15 incidents recorded in February and 16 in March. However, the number of civilian casualties from explosive weapon use more than tripled, from 20 in February to 77 in March, as the use of grenades and improvised explosive devices in densely populated spaces was more frequent and injurious, particularly in the states of Jammu and Kashmir, as well as Bihar.

Sources: DNA, India Today, Financial Express

Casualties

In February 2022, there were 13 incidents of explosive weapon use recorded in India. Across seven of these incidents, there were 11 recorded civilian casualties, three of whom were killed and seven injured. These civilian casualties included at least six children and two men. Civilians accounted for 39% of the total 28 casualties, as there were also 17 recorded armed-actor casualties, two of whom were killed and 15 injured. 

Five of the 11 civilian casualties occured in populated areas, and six in areas of unknown population density. The locations in which civilian casualties occurred were villages (4 civilian casualties), an urban residential area (1), and agricultural land (3). No information was provided on the location of three civilian casualties. 

The states in which civilian casualties from explosive weapons were recorded were Kannur (3 civilian casualties), Maharashtra (3), Odisha (2), West Bengal (1), Kolkata (1), and Jammu and Kashmir (1). 

All 11 civilian casualties were caused by directly-emplaced weapons, 10 of which were caused by non-specific IEDs, and one by a landmine. 

Non-state actors were the reported perpetrator in the case of 10 civilian casualties, with the CPI (Naxals) specifically named as the perpetrator in the case of two civilian casualties. The perpetrator status and group name was unknown in the case of one civilian casualty. 

The incident with the highest recorded number of civilian casualties took place on 5 February 2022, when a five-year old girl was killed and two other children injured by an IED blast on agricultural land in Wadmukhwadi, Maharashtra. 

Sources: Indian Express, Times of India, Indian Express I, Sambad English, Hindustan Times, Deccan Herald, NDTV

Casualties

In January 2022, there were six incidents of explosive weapon use recorded in India. Across four of these incidents, there were 12 recorded civilian casualties, all of whom were injured. These civilian casualties included at least three children and two women. Civilians accounted for 63% of the total 19 casualties, as there were also seven recorded armed-actor casualties, one of whom was killed and six injured. 

Nine of the 12 civilian casualties occured in populated areas, and three in areas of unknown population density. The locations in which civilian casualties occurred were urban residential areas (4), commercial premises (4), a village (1), and agricultural land (3). 

Seven civilian casualties were caused by directly-emplaced weapons - all non-specific IEDs. Five civilian casualties were caused by ground-launched weapons, specifically grenades. 

Unknown non-state actors were the reported perpetrator in the case of all 12 civilian casualties. 

The two states in which civilian casualties from explosive weapons were recorded were West Bengal (7), and Jammu and Kashmir (5). 

The highest casualty incident recorded last month took place on 25 January, when four civilians, including two women and one police officer were injured by a grenade attack in an urban residential area of Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir. 

Sources: ANI, Hindustan Times

Casualties

In December 2021, there were 14 incidents of explosive weapon use recorded in India, eight of which resulted in a total 20 civilian casualties, six of whom were killed and 14 injured. There were seven armed-actor casualties recorded in December, all of whom were injured. 

All but one of the civilian casualties occurred in populated areas. Specificly, 45% (9) civilian casualties in public buildings, 25% in villages, 20% (4) on roads, as well as one in transport related infrastructure and one on agricultural land. 

All 20 civilian casualties were caused by directly-emplaced weapons, specifically improvised explosive devices. As such, non-state actors were the recorded perpetrator in the case of all 20 civilian casualties.

The states in which civilian casualties were recorded were Punjab (6), Jharkhand (5), Bihar (4), West Bengal (3), and Chhattisgarh (2). 

The highest casualty incident took place on 23 December, when an IED was detonated at a district courthouse in Ludhiana, Punjab, killing one civilian and injuring five others. This was the second incident in December 2021 in India in which an improvised explosive device was detonated in a courthouse. 

Sources: India Today, Firstpost

Casualties

In November 2021, there were nine recorded incidents of explosive weapon use that caused 19 civilian casualties in India. Civilians accounted for 68% of the total 28 casualties. There were an additional 9 armed-actor casualties, including 6 deaths and 3 injuries. 

The majority, 17 of 19, civilian casualties occurred in populated areas. The location-types in which civilian casualties occurred were villages (6), urban residential areas (5), agricultural land (3), multiple urban spaces (2), roads (2), and a town center (1). 

The majority of civilian harm was caused by the use of directly-emplaced weapons, specifically IEDs, which killed and injured 84% (16) of civilians. The remainder of civilian casualties, 16% (3), were caused by the use of ground-launched weapons, specifically grenades. 

Non-state actors were the reported perpetrator in the case of 18 out of 19 civilian casualties, and the perpetrator status was unknown in the case of one civilian casualty. 

The states in which civilian casualties from explosive weapon use were reported were West Bengal (6), Bihar (4), Jammu & Kashmir (3), Maharashtra (3), Manipur (2), and Kerala (1). 

The incident with the highest fatality rate took place on 13 November 2021, when seven people were killed, two of whom were civilians (a woman and a child), by an IED attack in Churachandpur, Manipur. 

Sources: Tribune News Service, Reuters

Casualties

In October 2021, there were two incidents of explosive weapon use, one of which caused six civilian casualties. On 26 October 2021, six civilians were wounded by a grenade blast in a populated area that targeted an army convoy in Bandipora, Jammu & Kashmir. The second incident caused two armed-actor fatalities as the result of a landmine explosion. 

Sources: PTI, Hindustan Times

Casualties

In September 2021, there were eight incidents of explosive weapon use in India, five of which resulted in civilian casualties. There were 12 civilian casualties recorded this month, five of which were reportedly children, including one fatality and 11 injuries. There were an additional four armed-actor casualties in India in September.  Four of the five incidents incurring civilian casualties took place in populated areas. Directly-emplaced weapons, specifically IEDs, caused two-thirds (eight) of all civilian casualties, while ground-launched weapons, specifically grenades, accounted for the four armed-actor casualties. 

The highest casualty incident this month took place on 12 September, when four civilians were injured, including a child, by an IED in a market in Patna, Bihar. The number of civilian casualties resulting from the use of explosive weapons in India in September has decreased substantially, down from 47 in August 2021. 

Sources: India Today, Times of India

Across 15 incidents in August 2021, India suffered 54 total casualties of explosive weapon use, of which 47 were civilians. Five of the civilian casualties were killed and 42 were injured. 44 of the 47 civilian casualties took place in populated areas. 30 civilian casualties were caused by ground launched weapons, all grenades, and 17 were caused by directly emplaced weapons, specifically IEDs. 

The worst incident of explosive violence took place on 5 August in Dantewada, Chhattisgarh, central India, where 1 civilian was killed and ten wounded, by an IED targeting a passenger vehicle. The IED was reportedly placed and detonated by Naxals, Maoist insurgency groups. 25 of the 47 civilian casualties were caused by non-State actors, and the perpetrators of the remaining 22 civilian casualties are unknown. Nine of the 15 incidents of explosive weapon use took place in Jammu and Kashmir, accounting for 25 civilian casualties. There were seven armed actor casualties in August, the same number recorded in July. The number of civilian casualties in August was eight-times higher than in July and incidents were recorded in three additional provinces. 

Sources: Devdiscourse, India Today

Across seven incidents in July 2021, India suffered 5 civilian casualties, and 14 total casualties. Four of the civilian casualties were injured, and one was killed. One civilian casualty was reportedly a child and three of the five civilian casualties occurred in populated areas. Four were caused by ground-launched weapons, specifically grenades, and one was caused by an IED. Three of the civilian casualties occurred in incidents when State actors were being targeted in attacks using explosive weapons. On 31 July, a woman and child were injured by a grenade attack in Moreh, Manipur, that targeted the home of a police officer. Civilian casualties of explosive weapon use have decreased from 25 in June.

Sources: The Hindu, Nagaland Post.

In June 2021, across seven incidents, India suffered 25 civilian casualties, and 33 total casualties. Twenty-one of the civilian casualties were injured, and four were killed. Seven of the civilian casualties were reportedly children. Six of the seven recorded incidents took place in populated areas, and all civilian casualties occurred in populated areas. The use of ground-launched weapons, specifically grenades, caused 16 civilian casualties, and the use of IEDs caused nine civilian casualties. On 12 June, two civilians and two police officers were killed when a grenade was detonated in a market in Sopore, northern Kashmir. Four police officers and three civilians were injured in the attack. Sources: Kalinga TV, The Free Press Journal.

Across nine incidents, there were 13 civilian casualties from explosive weapon use, three of whom were killed, 10 injured, with two casualties recorded as children. There were eight recorded armed-actor casualties, two killed and six injured. Five of the nine incidents in May 2021 took place in populated areas, and IEDs were used in most incidents. On 4 May, an IED placed in an empty ice cream box detonated in Kannur, Kerala, injuring two children. Sources: Times of India, Kaumundi