Pellet guns in Jammu & Kashmir go up from 640 to 5,589

This summer, the use of controversial 12 bore pump action guns with pellet shots is set to grow in a big way in the Kashmir Valley.

The weapon blinded and grievously injured many last year when it was used to disperse protesters hurling stones and lashing provocative slogans against security forces.

Currently, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has 640 pump action guns, widely known as pellet guns, but in the coming months more than 4,000 will be procured. The idea is to adequately equip every unit of the paramilitary with the ‘low-intensity munition’ to deal with frenzied crowd in demonstrations and during counter-insurgency operations.

“Earlier, pump action guns were available with only those units facing civilian protests and demonstrations like those in downtown Srinagar,’’ said a CRPF commander, adding that these protests have now spread across the Valley to even villages in south and north Kashmir. “It has become necessary that every company has adequate non-lethal weapons. Now, these guns will form part of every company,’’ he added.

The Ministry of Home Affairs had promised last year to restrict the use of pellet shots against protesters and explore other options, but in January, it made fresh authorisation of 4,949 pump action guns for CRPF units deployed as Rapid Action Force, and Mahila Batallion in J&K, taking the total number of pump action guns to 5,589.

Around nine pump action guns will be available with every company (around 120 personnel). More than six lakh matching cartridges, commonly referred to as pellet-shots, have also been authorised, up from 1.25 lakh last year.

CRPF had made the request for additional pump action guns and pellet shots in April last year, nearly two months before protests in the Valley broke out. “There were a number of instances when police stations and security posts and bunkers were attacked or set on fire by the crowd last year. We did not have adequate munitions to even protect ourselves and had to procure non-lethal weapons from the units which had. In such a situation, tear-gas shells or lathi-charge is not a solid defence,’’ said a CRPF officer, explaining the need for additional pellet guns.

Last summer, an estimated 600 civilians, including schoolchildren, were blinded after being hit by pellet shots in the eyes and above waist-level, in the mass protests triggered following the killing of a local Hizbul Mujaheedin commander Burhan Wani. Another 8,000 were grievously injured with multiple pellets lodged in their vital body parts. This time round, metal deflectors will be used so that pellet shots are not dispersed above waist level.

Before the security situation nearly spiralled out of control in Kashmir, the use of pellet shots was restricted to certain situation only. The pellet shots were used only if there was a surge in the number of crowds during Friday protests or if the protesters used stones, petrol/kerosene bombs against the troops. However, in the last two years, there has an increasing number of incidents where convergence of large crowds has hindered search and cordon operations by the Army, even helping the militants to get away.

In February, Army officers, including a Major, lost their lives after being grievously injured in the operation. “The crowd had blocked the alleys and roads, there was no way for us to get out and carry the injured to the hospital. There was a loss of crucial time leading to excessive bleeding,’’ said an officer speaking about the counter-insurgency operation in Handwara.

The high number of casualties -- 9 Army personnel – in February alone prompted Chief of the Army Staff Gen Bipin Rawat to issue a stern warning to civilians that those obstructing military operations will be dealt with harsh measures.

The CRPF, which assists the Army in counter-insurgency operations, is the only paramilitary force in Kashmir equipped with non-lethal weapons, and is expected to use pellet shots against civilians hindering such operations.

“Pellet shots are used as a last resort. If verbal warnings, tear-gas shells don’t push back the crowd from the site of operations, then we use pump action guns,’’ said a senior CRPF officer from the operations division. PAVA (pelargonic acid vanillylamide) shells that were recommended as an alternative to pellets have been used at minimal as they were found to be ineffective to deter the crowd.

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