Seven member committee to explore alternatives to pellet guns

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Tuesday, approved the constitution of a seven-member expert committee for exploring possible alternatives to pellet guns as non-lethal weapons.

The committee under the chairmanship of T V S N Prasad, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, will submit its report within two months.

A rethink on the use of pellet guns was necessitated after its use was blamed for causing fatal injuries and blindness among protesters during the recent unrest in Kashmir.

Last week, Rajnath while speaking in the Parliament had rejected apprehensions of some members that terrorism was on rise in the valley as he reeled out figures to suggest that it had gone down with the security forces eliminating more militants.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed security forces to maintain “maximum restraint”, he said, but added that it cannot be denied if someone had committed some mistakes.

“We all feel sad over the lives lost and those injured,” Singh said. He also noted that “barbarism” can have no place in the society as some people had celebrated when some security personnel were killed.