Over 11,000 stone pelters arrested in last 2 yrs

213 militants killed in 2017; 149 weapons snatched, 90 arrested

19/01/2018

JAMMU, Jan 18: As many as 11,290 stone pelters have been arrested during last two years in Jammu and Kashmir and were later released on bail, the state assembly was told today.
In a written reply to the question of BJP MLA Sat Sharma in Legislative Assembly, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said that, "3773 FIRs have been registered against stone pelters in the state during last two years in which 11,290 persons were arrested and later released on bail."
She said that with regard to the withdrawal of the cases against the stone pelters, the government has granted amnesty to the first-time stone pelters during the period between 2008 and 2017.
The amnesty is subject to the condition that the parents of the accused have to furnish an undertaking that the accused will not indulge in unlawful activities in future and will exhibit good conduct.
The chief minister while referring to "weaning away" of local youth from anti-national activities and militancy, said that several steps have been taken, including surveillance on the social media, that plays a major role in radicalisation of youth.
She said that cricket tournaments are being organised under civic action programme to engaged youth.
The chief minister said that meetings of senior citizens at police station level are being organised to facilitate counselling of youth and allay their misgivings and motivate them to contribute in development of the state.
The youth clubs have also been established at police station levels to facilitate them with information technology and indoor games to keep them away from the menace of terrorism, she added.
Government also said that 149 weapons have been snatched and 90 people have been arrested in these cases in the Kashmir Valley during the last three years.
In a written reply to a question of BJP's Vikram Randhawa in the Legislative Council, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said that 251 weapons, including 35 AK rifles, 44 insaas rifles, 43 SLRs, five 303 rifles, 12 pistols, two UMGs, one LMG, one each AR-41 rifle, PIKA gun and gas gun and 102 tear shell grenades were snatched during the last three years.
In this regard, 90 people have been arrested and 76 weapons recovered, she said.
The chief minister said that static guards have been sensitised to remain extra-vigilant so that "anti-national elements do not succeed in snatching weapons".
The departmental action has been initiated against those policemen who were not alert when their weapons were snatched, she said.
Mufti said that 13 cases of bank dacoities have taken place in the year 2016-17 in which an amount of Rs 1.13 crore was robbed.
FIRs have been lodged in all the cases and investigation was underwa, she said.
Government also said that 213 militants were killed and 51 civilians died in militancy-related incidents last year.
In a written reply to a question of BJP's Sat Sharma, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti told the Legislative Assembly that 213 militants, including 127 foreign militants and 86 local militants, were killed in 2017 as compared to 150 militants, including 119 foreign militants and 31 local militants, in 2016.
Similarly, 51 civilians died in 2017 and as many as 20 civilians died in 2016 in militancy-related incidents, she said.
The government has taken a number of steps to check cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, Mufti said.
The chief minister said that these measures include border-fencing and its electrification, installation of night-vision devices, target-oriented inputs on infiltration, among others.
She said that the border is being manned by security forces who are adequately equipped in terms of manpower and resources.
Meanwhile, in another written reply to a question of Sharma, Mufti told the assembly that 320 weapons, including 213 AK rifles, 101 pistols and revolvers, four RPGs, one each sniper rifle and 303 rifle were recovered in 2017.
As compared to this, 178 AK-47 rifles, 81 pistols and revolvers, 7 RPGs and two each sniper rifle and 303 rifle were recovered in 2016, she said.
Similarly, police recovered 394 explosive devices including 305 grenades, 76 detonators and 13 IEDs in 2017, followed by recovery of 1,358 explosive devices in 2016, which includes 333 grenades, 1,038 detonators, 26 IEDs and one anti-personnel mine, Mufti said.
Besides, a large quantity of ammunition was recovered by the police during the last two years, she said, adding that 8 kg explosives was recovered in 2017 followed by 10 kg in 2016.
She said 46 wireless sets were recovered in 2017 and 54 in 2016.

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