MHA holds high level meet on pellet guns as alternative PAVA shells fails

A day after the Supreme Court asked the Centre to consider effective alternative to pellet guns to quell stone pelting mobs in Jammu and Kashmir, sources said that the Union Home Ministry called a high-level meet today to explore the options.

Jammu and Kashmir DGP SP Vaid and other senior officers from the ministry were present in the meeting. Sources privy to the meeting discussed alternatives of PAVA shells.

According to sources, the CRPF and J-K police were particularly unhappy about the PAVA shells. "The number of stone pelters coming out indicates that PAVA shells are not proving to be detrimental."

An information released by the ministry in response to a question raised by MP K Ashok Kumar in Lok Sabha said, "After suggestions from an expert committee, the government has decided that the security forces will resort to various measures such as using PAVA-Chilli shells, STUN-LAC shells and Tear Smoke shells to disperse the rioters in J-K. However, if these measures prove to be ineffective, use of pellet guns may be resorted," said MoS Home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir.

The apex court asked Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi to file a detailed reply on what alternate effective steps could be taken to deal with such situation of agitating mobs in Jammu and Kashmir. The bench has posted the hearing for April 10.

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