More fatalities if pellet guns are banned: CRPF tells HC
20 Aug 2016 5:37 AM IST
“In case, this (pellet gun) is withdrawn from the options available with the CRPF, CRPF personnel would have no recourse in extreme situations but to open fire with rifles, which may cause more fatalities,” the CRPF said in an affidavit submitted to the High Court on Wednesday.
The paramilitary force submitted the affidavit in response to a PIL filed before the court, seeking ban on use of pellet guns as a means for crowd control mechanism in the Valley, which has been rocked by violent protests since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces on July 8.
The force said pellet guns were introduced in 2010 and were an accepted weapon of riot control. It said that following the standard operating procedures while dealing with a dynamic law and order problem is difficult in case of moving, bending and running target.
The SOP regarding use of firearms for crowd control in extreme situations requires that the weapon be aimed below the waist. “But the situation prevailing on the streets during an ongoing law and order incident is dynamic and mobile. “In such a situation, sometimes it is difficult to go in for precise aimed fire at a moving, bending and running target,” it said.
Lecturer’s killing: Army says such acts won’t be tolerated
Amid an outrage in Kashmir, Army on Friday said actions by its soldiers like the one in which a lecturer was killed will not be tolerated.
“These raids were not sanctioned in the first place. It is unjusitified. Nobody can support it and it will not be tolerated,” Northern Army Commander Lt Gen D S Hooda told reporters here. He said an inquiry has been ordered into the incident that took place during the intervening night of August 17 and 18 in Khrew area of Pulwama district.
Shabir Ahmad Monga, a lecturer, was killed and 18 others sustained injuries when they were thrashed by army personnel who were conducting nocturnal raids to arrest stone pelters in the area.
Asked about the circumstances that led to the incident, the army commander said according to information he has, the troops came under stone pelting by the mobs.
“The instructions are there to exercise maximum restraint but these are difficult times. The security forces are facing tough times and sometimes things get out of hand,” he added.
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