Chidamabaram chides youngsters

Home Minister has advised Kashmiri youth to stay indoors

Home Minister has advised Kashmiri youth to stay indoors

When it comes to talking tough, P Chidambaram does not mince words.
In a clear message to the Kashmiri youth, accused of orchestrating and leading stone pelting protests in the Valley, the Union Home Minister has advised them to remain indoors, apparently indicating the tough measures to be taken by security forces to quell any breach of curfew.

Briefing the media after the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting on Thursday, Chidambaram said that the government has decided to deal with the miscreants with an iron hand.
The Cabinet decision followed a joint meeting of officials from Intelligence Bureau (IB), Central Police Reserve Force (CRPF), Indian Army and local police headed by the union home secretary GK Pillai.

The home secretary was informed about the pattern of stone pelting protests in the valley which have gathered pace after two youngsters were killed by CRPF personnel while controlling a mob in the Valley. "Unemployed youngsters between the age group of 16 to 25 years form the core group of the stone pelters. Most of these youngsters are college and school dropouts and since colleges remained closed in Kashmir their students also join in," said an officer attached to Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

Vicious circle

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Thursday reviewed the situation with senior bureaucrats and police officers and discussed the possibility of curfew relaxation today for Friday prayers and for Shab-e-Meraj on Saturday. It was decided that an on-the-spot assessment would be made Friday, depending upon the law and order situation in the area, official sources said, adding they also discussed whether to continue flag marches by the Army or not.

Data reveals that out of 716 incidents of stone pelting in last three months more than 500 stone pelters have been arrested. Almost all of them were young and not more than 30 years of age. "A large group are repeat offenders who are allowed to go after a brief stint in lockups but they repeat their crime," said the official.

Meanwhile 70 companies of Central Para-Military Forces (CPMF) have been deployed in the valley with soldiers from Indian Army guarding the periphery of Srinagar city. While CPMF troops are going to stay there for sometime army would be pulled out as soon as the situation returns to normal.

The Home Minister, after studying the pattern of stone pelting and deployment of CPMF troops, has also issued instructions against the scattered gathering of the troops.

"The troops now will tackle the stone pelters in large groups. While scattered deployment risks the lives of the troops as they become vulnerable to large groups of miscreants. Troops in large groups would also act as a better deterrent," the official added.u00a0