Now, plastic bullets to be used for crowd control in violence-hit Kashmir

Stone-pelters in Kashmir/ File image/ PTI

SRINAGAR: As unrest rocked the Kashmir Valley, security forces will now use non-penetrative plastic bullets as a measure against stone-pelting mobs to reduce collateral damage. According to reports, thousands of plastic bullets were sent to the Kashmir Valley for use by the law enforcement agencies to deal with the issue of stone-pelting that had led to current unrest the Valley. The plastic bullets are non-penetrative and can be fired from INSAS rifles, PTI quoted sources as saying. “A couple of thousand bullets have been sent to the security forces on experimental basis. The plastic bullets are non-penetrative, and thus less lethal than pellet guns,” HT quoted a Home Ministry official as saying. As of now, security forces are using PAVA shells, which is a chilli-based ammunition, and pellet guns, the last option in the non-lethal category. The instances of stone pelting witnessed a sharp increase after security forces gunned down Hizbul commander Burhan Wani in July 2016. Even on Monday, widespread protests by students in the Kashmir Valley heightened tensions. Students clashed with security forces in several places in Kashmir valley leaving dozens injured. The students resorted to massive stone pelting at the police, resulting in injuries to the Station House Officer of Kothibagh police station and two of his guards, reported IANS. The students had called for protests against Saturday's incident in Degree College Pulwama in south Kashmir in which over 50 students were injured in fighting with security forces. Meawhile, the Jammu and Kashmir police has directed telecom companies to shut their 3G and 4G services in the Kashmir Valley. The direction was given because the state authorities feel there has been an attempt to spread fear and show security personnel in a bad light through online videos. FIR lodge in case of Cops tying Kashmiri man to jeep An FIR was lodged on Sunday against unnamed army personnel for allegedly using a civilian as a human shield against stone-pelters during the election in Beerwah area of Lok Sabha constituency. The case was registered two days after a video went viral showing a man being tied to an army jeep in the front and being used as shield on April 9 against those throwing stones at military men and vehicles. The video has caused outrage forcing the police to investigate and thereafter file an FIR.