HC seeks Centre’s report on use of pellet guns in Kashmir

HC seeks Centre’s report on use of pellet guns in Kashmir

ANIUpdated: Thursday, May 30, 2019, 01:51 PM IST
HC seeks Centre’s report on use of pellet guns in Kashmir
TOPSHOT - Kashmiri protesters throw stones after Indian paramilitary troops fired tear gas during clasesh in Srinagar on July 21,2016. Residents in Indian-administered Kashmir are facing a shortage of food and critical medical supplies as the restive region continues to be under a security lockdown. Large parts of Indian-administered Kashmir have been under continuous 24-hour curfew since the death on July 8 of a popular rebel leader sparked wide-scale protests and clashes with government forces who have fired and killed 45 civilians so far. Around 3600 have been injured in the escalating unrest overwhelming the hospitals, officials said / AFP PHOTO / TAUSEEF MUSTAFA |

New Delhi: Disapproving of the use of pellet guns by the security forces against protesters, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court has sought a report from the Centre on handling of the weapon by untrained personnel.

Saying that maximum people have suffered eye injuries, the court asked the government to file a response and review the use of pellet guns.

The court asked the Assistant Solicitor General of India to look at other means of crowd control.

The court said the high number of injuries to the civilians was due to untrained security personnel using pellet guns.

The observation came after Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Director General of Police had said that 114 companies of the paramilitary forces, which were undergoing training elsewhere, had to be summoned to Kashmir to control the recent unrest.

The court also asked the government to restore mobile phone services in the valley as the ban was affecting the people.

Meanwhile, the Union Home Ministry has set up a seven-member expert committee for exploring the other possible alternatives to pellet guns.

The committee will submit its report within two months.