90% dip in stone-pelting incidents in Kashmir in 2017, says J&K DGP

Jammu and Kashmir Police chief S P Vaid has said there has been a 90 per cent dip in incidents of stone-pelting in Kashmir Valley this year as compared to the last year and credited the people of Kashmir for the improvement in the situation.

NIA raids, he said, were not alone responsible for the change in situation in the Kashmir Valley and maintained there were multiple factors at play including demonetisation and action against top militant commanders.

The Director General of Police said it was normal to witness 40-50 incidents of stone-pelting in a day last year. "(There is) a more than 90 per cent fall in stone pelting in Kashmir Valley (this year) as compared to the last year. It is a huge decrease,” Vaid told PTI here.

“There are weeks when there is not even a single case of stone pelting while in a day (last year) there used to be more than 50 incidents taking place. There is a huge change in the mood of people,” he said.

“It is a huge change. Law and order situation in Kashmir is for everybody to see, particularly those living in Kashmir or those dealing with it.

“It is easily understood that there is a huge improvement in the situation in Valley. There is not even a single incident taking place in the whole day. At times in the whole week, there is no incident (of stone-pelting) taking place,” he added.

“Even on Friday, where it used to be normal to have 4050 incidents of stone pelting in a day (last year), not even a single incident is taking place (this year),” the DGP said.

Vaid said NIA raids were not alone responsible for a drop in stone-pelting incidents. "There are many factors responsible for improvement in the law and order situation and decrease in stone pelting. The impression that NIA raids have only improved the situation... I would not agree to it", DGP said.

“Of course, that (NIA raids) helped, but the main credit goes to the people of Kashmir, probably they have also realised the futility of this and damaging their own property and targeting police which also belongs to their own society besides the fatigue factor and action against top commanders,” he said.

The police chief said there has been an improvement of the situation in Kashmir due to demonetisation, arrest of terror supporters and increase in political activity.