Paramilitary force declares its men trained to use anti-riot equipment
The J&K High Court today asked the CRPF to explain why pellets were causing injuries in the eyes even as the CRPF authorities today submitted that the personnel deployed in Kashmir for law and order situation “were experienced and fully trained to use anti-riot equipment”, including the pellet guns, which are considered non-lethal weapons.
Stating that there was evidence that the pellets fired by the security forces had caused injuries above the knees with most of the protesters being hit in the eye, the court observed that these pellets were now creating a problem for even the government. It suggested that the “government take a conscious decision” about the use of such weapons.
“The injuries in the eyes of victims by the pellets are a problem. This is the problem created by the state itself and they are now summoning doctors from outside to treat the pellet-hit. They (government) have to take a conscious decision about it (pellet gun use)”, a division bench of Chief Justice NN Paul Vasanthakumar and Justice Muzaffar Hussain observed after perusing the response about use of pellet guns filed by CRPF Inspector General Atul Karwal today.
In the three-page reply, the IG submitted that “CRPF personnel deployed in J&K for maintaining law and order duties are experienced and fully trained to use anti-riot equipment” to maintain law and order.
“Each functional battalion of the CRPF has seven companies, out of which one company is always put under training on rotation basis to refresh their operational skills and acquaint themselves with the latest technology. They are not companies formed by collecting trainee/recruits from the training centre,” the IG stated.
Not satisfied with the response, the bench today observed that the IG had not explained how the pellets were causing such a huge number of eye injuries. “The government is on record now and there is evidence before the court that how many have suffered above the knee,” the bench observed, adding that the reply by the CRPF nowhere explained how the victims were getting injured in the eye.
“In a civilised society, you should know how to control a mob. They (protesters) are not aliens or from the outer space. You have to treat them as your own people”, the bench said.
