Pellet guns to return to J&K, with a tweak

PAVA shells not effective, says CRPF, goes for modified gun to shoot at feet

PROTESTERS IN VALLEY

THE USE of pellet guns, which led to considerable injuries during street protests in Kashmir last year, is set to make a comeback. Paramilitary forces have found that the less lethal alternative PAVA (pelargonic acid vanillylamide) shells are not really effective in scattering protesters.

CRPF Director General K Durga Prasad told reporters Monday that a modified version of the pellet gun will be used to break up any protest before and during anti-militancy operations. “The force has taken the decision to modify pellet guns, with the help of BSF, to minimise injuries,” he said.

Pellet guns were widely used in the Valley during the protests that followed the killing of Hizbul militant Burhan Wani in July last year. Hundreds were injured by the pellets, many with serious injuries in the eyes. Following an outcry, the use of pellet guns was stopped, replaced by the chilli-based PAVA shells.

The modified version of the pellet gun will have a “deflector”, an attachment on the muzzle to prevent pellets from ascending. The CRPF has asked a special BSF workshop to deploy a metal deflector on the muzzle so that shrapnels do not strike a person above the abdomen region.

CRPF troops in the Valley have been told to fire pellets aiming at the feet of protesters and not the abdomen area. “We have asked our men to fire at the feet now... By using a deflector, there is only a two per cent chance that the shot fired may hit above the point of aim as compared to the rate of 40 per cent earlier,” a CRPF officer said.