Now, plastic bullets to quell mob in Kashmir US NSA tells Pak leaders to confront ‘terror in all forms’
ALTERNATIVE Though these bullets aim to reduce collateral damage, pellet guns will be in use, but only as last resort SECURITY FORCES NOW HAVE THE OPTION OF USING PAVA SHELLS, RUBBER BULLETS, PLASTIC BULLETS AND PELLET GUNS BEFORE
USING LIVE AMMUNITION
As unrest rocks Kashmir valley, security forces deployed there will now use plastic bullets in crowd control operations before using the much-maligned pellet guns.
The plastic bullets can be fired from a normal AK-47 rifle but in a single shot mode. Burst mode firing is not possible with them.
“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,” said a senior home ministry official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
A CRPF field commander in Srinagar said plastic bullets will be used as part of the graded response before using pellet guns.
The security forces now have the option of using PAVA shells, rubber bullets that are fired from the gas guns, plastic bullets and pellet guns before actually using live ammunition.
Pellet guns fire cartridges consist of hundreds of small metal balls but their extensive use to quell unrest in the Valley after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8 last year led to several cases of eye and facial injuries, often causing partial or total blindness.
The CRPF and state police faced severe criticism and there were calls to ban pellet guns.
The government explored alternatives such as shells made of PAVA (pelargonic acid vanillyl amide), an organic compound found in natural chilli pepper. These shells were only partially effective, and pellets guns continued to be used in the Valley, but the Centre has made is clear to forces that pellets guns should be used very sparingly.
“The rubber bullets are basically small rubber cylinders fired from gas guns. These rubber cylinders then get divided into four parts and hit the unruly crowd like a stone. We are experimenting with plastic bullets but they hit one protestor at a time. Therefore dealing with a huge mob is bit difficult with them,” said the CRPF field commander.
The situation in the Valley also came up for discussion in the daily intelligence briefing that Union home minister Rajnath Singh chairs whenever he is town.
“Holding bypolls in the Kashmir has turned out to be an illtimed decision. The situation was stabilising a bit in the Valley but elections have given fresh boost to separatists,” said the home ministry official.
Srinagar bypoll saw only 7% polling and Anantnag parliamentary bypoll was postponed to May 25. “As of now we don’t even know who among the separatist we can talk to. No separatist leader will be willing to come to the discussion table at this juncture,” the home ministry official said.
US National Security Adviser (NSA) HR McMaster on Monday told Pakistan’s top civilian and military leaders of the “need to confront terrorism in all its forms”, a day after he hinted the Trump administration could take a tougher stance on Islamabad.
McMaster arrived in Pakistan for an unannounced visit after travelling to Afghanistan, where he told the media that Pakistan should target militant groups “less selectively” and pursue diplomacy that does not use “proxies that engage in violence”.
A statement from the US embassy in Islamabad said McMaster expressed appreciation for Pakistan’s democratic and economic development but also “stressed the need to confront terrorism in all its forms”.
McMaster, who was making his first visit to Pakistan in his role as NSA, discussed a range of bilateral and regional issues during meetings with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, special advisor to the prime minister Sartaj Aziz, and NSA Nasser Khan Janjua.
A statement from Sharif’s office quoted the PM as saying that Pakistan is looking forward to “forging a strong and mutually beneficial partnership with the US” and working with the new US administration to “promote peace and security in the region and beyond”.
Sharif also referred to his commitment to a peaceful neighbourhood and “reiterated his firm conviction on sustained dialogue and meaningful engagement as the only way forward to resolve all outstanding issues between India and Pakistan, including the Kashmir dispute”.
He also welcomed President Donald Trump’s “willingness to help India and Pakistan resolve their differences particularly on Kashmir”.
India, however, has already rejected any role for the US in mediating between New Delhi and Islamabad.