Centre, J&K plans stricter action on stone-pelters

New Delhi: Taking a serious note of the sudden spurt in incidents of stone pelting, particularly during a security operation, as the one witnessed in Budgam earlier this week in which as many as 63 security personnel were injured, the Centre as well as J&K government are contemplating on imposing stringent sections of law like conspiracy and aiding and abetting terrorists against “repeat offenders”.

Top home ministry sources told this newspaper that security forces have already been directed to prepare a detailed dossier of “such repeat offenders” who are involved and instigating public to resort to stone-pelting to provide safe passage to militants.

“Since law and order is primarily a state subject, we are in touch with the J&K government. There is a pattern to these incidents of stone pelting and it needs to be checked. Even security forces operating in the Valley want the local police to book these offenders under stringent sections rather than just for causing grievous hurt or injury,” the senior ministry official said.

Even home minister Rajnath Singh had informed Parliament on Friday that certain operatives from across the border in Pakistan were using social media platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp to instigate and mobilise mob, directing them to throw stones at security forces. The situation becomes more precarious when a security operation is on and a mob resorts to stone pelting.

On Friday evening, the home minister had chaired a high-level meeting to review the prevailing security situation in the Kashmir Valley. Sources said during the meeting, officials expressed concern over the stone-pelting incidents and sought tough action. Even on Saturday, public had resorted to stone pelting on an Army convoy in the Valley.

Sources said what has made the situation more precarious for security forces is a recent trend, in which a large number of children, mostly between the age group of 11 and 15, were also indulging in throwing stones on security forces. “The terror operatives have been using women and children as shield in the mob. But increasing what we are witnessing now ion the Valley is that a large number of minor children are joining the protesters in large numbers making it more difficult for us to take action,” a security official said.

Security forces have already initiated the exercise to identify those who instigating the mob and are participating in incidents of stone pelting on a regular basis. A major crackdown, sources added, against these “repeat offenders’’ is expected in the next few days.

J&K police chief S.P. Vaid has also said that Pakistan was largely responsible for incidents of stone pelting on security forces. Pak-based terror groups are said to be paying anything between Rs 3,000- Rs 5,000 to these stone pelters. Earlier, even Army chief Bipin Rawat had also warned that those assisting terrorists will also be treated like them.

Home ministry sources added that it will also consult technical experts if social media message originating from Pakistan directing people to resort to such incidents of violence could be blocked.