Stone pelting becomes lucrative business in Kashmir valley

Stone pelting in Kashmir valley appears to be fast turning into a lucrative 'business' for some unemployed youths offering this 'service' for a price.
     
Several youths are also operating 'stone pelting' cartels funded by separatist organisations and some political parties, sources said today, adding business worth lakhs of rupees is usually generated through this activity.
     
Details in this regard came out during extensive interrogation of a stone pelter arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir police over a period of last three days.
     
Separatist groups especially those owing allegiance to Pakistan-terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashker-e-Taiba are alleged to have formed several groups comprising a minimum of dozen people, sources in the interrogation team said.
     
These groups are paid a hefty amount ranging between Rs5 to Rs8 lakh, they said, adding a part of this money is handed over to another group known as "initiators" who pick up stones and start pelting on police and para-military forces -- sometimes on trivial issues.
     
The groups, which are alleged to have been receiving funds from a political party as well, have stationed their people in  various localities and other districts of the Valley, the sources said. This could be the reason for stone pelting incidents occuring in a synchronised manner throughout the valley during agitations and protests, they said.
     
The sources said while the exact amount of money being pumped into the stone-pelting business was yet to be estimated, it could be running into lakhs of rupees.
     
Adding to the woes of policemen were protestors making use of stones and building  material kept by government agencies on roads for construction  activities, the sources said.

The Government should ensure completion of work within a time frame as otherwise these materials would come handy for the stone pelters, they said.