Army should use water cannons, tear gas instead of bullets: Farooq Abdullah

Srinagar: National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday asserted that the Army should have used water cannons or tear gas instead of bullets. His observations were in the context of seven civilians' deaths following an encounter in Pulwama last week.

"The Army should have used water cannons or tear gas instead of bullets. People, who died, cannot come back. We hope the Army and police will not carry out such operations in the future," said Abdullah.

Three terrorists were killed in an encounter that broke out on Saturday in Pulwama's Monghama area of Sirnoo village. Seven civilians and one security personnel too lost their lives in the gun battle.

Abdullah further emphasised that elections should be held in the valley and President's rule must come to an end.

"There should be elections and people must choose their representatives who can work," he said while speaking to media.

On September 8, Abdullah had said that his party will boycott Lok Sabha and Assembly elections if the government fails to take a stand on Article 35A and Article 370.

The National Conference (NC) had also boycotted the Jammu and Kashmir municipal polls over lack of clarity in the Centre's stance on Articles 35A.