1811 stone pelters released in J&K, no blanket amnesty: Govt

Jammu and Kashmir government has released 1,811 persons involved in cases of stone-pelting in the Valley during 2010 summer unrest under its amnesty scheme, but said it will not be extended to those involved in arson and damage to public property during the period.

“The amnesty will not be extended to those who were involved in arson and damage of public property (in 2010 summer unrest) in Kashmir Valley,” chief minister Omar Abdullah said in a written reply in the assembly on Monday.

After the announcement of the scheme on April 12 last year, amnesty has been granted to 1,811 stone pelters involved in 230 cases of stone pelting incidents, he said.

The government has decided to take lenient view of those involved in stone pelting for the first time and also those who are not directly involved in various cases, he said.

He said the scheme envisages amnesty to all those involved in stone pelting incidents during summer unrest in Kashmir Valley from March 2010.

The amnesty policy was announced in the run up to Eid festival during holy month of Ramdan, he said.

The scheme was introduced to to facilitate youths to pursue higher education and jobs and their involvement in these cases may not affect adversely in verification for obtaining passport, service verifications and loans for education and jobs, he said.