Stone pelters being appointed as SPOs to counter stone pelting

SYED ALI SAFVI

SRINAGAR, May 16: To tackle the growing incidents of stone pelting in the conflict ridden valley of Kashmir, J&K police, under special initiative, has decided to appoint stone pelters as special police officials (SPOs), and entrust them with responsibility of taking on their former stone-pelter partners.

According to reports, a special drive is being conducted statewide, in all the police stations to identify the leading stone pelters, who often take to streets and resort to stone pelting.
The stone pelters have been divided into three groups. First group comprise of those youths who have mastered the art of stone pelting and do it to earn their living. Second group consists of students, and third group include amateur stone pelters mainly the unemployed youth.

Police sources said that 85 youths have been appointed as SPOs and deployed in areas, which are most sensitive and infamous for stone pelting. They said that the incidents of stone pelting have considerably decreased after the deployment of stone pelters-turned-SPOs in the area.
According to a senior police official, in order to combat the growing incidents of stone pelting, police decided to rope in stone pelters.

“So far the experiment has paid rich dividends and the exercise will continue in future also,” he said.

According to the reports, police is also contemplating to provide computer education to all “misguided” unemployed youth who have taken to stone for pecuniary gains.

As many as 3100 youths have been asked to report at their respective police stations in order to impart computer and vocational training to them so that they are able to earn their livelihood.

Reports further said that 1800 students, who were found involved in stone pelting, were sent for all-India tour, where they went through counseling sessions and screening.

“After going through counseling sessions, number of youths have vowed that they will never resort to stone pelting again,” said a police official.

The state police believes that militant outfits based in Pakistan administered Kashmir (PaK) particularly Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Toiba have prepared dozens of groups who are paid to instigate stone pelting in the valley.

The police claimed that these groups are paid between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 8 lakh, and a portion of this money is supposed to be paid to the stone pelters who pelt stones at police and paramilitary troopers.

'Kani jung' or stone pelting has been Kashmir's distinctive way of expressing pent up resentment about religious, social, political and administrative issues.

The practice gained popularity in the 1960s -- when supporters of National Conference called sher (lions) and of the Awami Action Committee called bakra (goats) -- would indulge in clashes that were known as sher-bakra battles.

Of late incidents of stone pelting have become a source of concern for both police and civil administration in the valley. Even slapping of public safety act (PSA) on more than 100 youth could not stop them from resorting to stone pelting. Not too long ago, the issue of stone pelting had also divided the separatist camp after a senior separatist leader had issued fatwa against it.

"Stone pelting cannot be justified. Islam is about discipline and if the leaders are asking people to refrain from stone pelting then they should adhere to these directions. Prophet Muhammad too has asked us to refrain from it," Jamiat-e-Ahli-Hadees president Maulana Showkat Ahmed Shah has said.

Castigating Maulana Showkat, chairman of Hurriyat Confeerence (G) Syed Ali Geelani had said that incidents of stone pelting were taking place in retaliation to the “tyranny of gun wielding troops”.

"If troops allow us to hold innocuous and peaceful protests, why would we take to stone pelting," he says. Referring to the protest march on June 23, 2008, during the infamous Amarnath land row,” Geelani had said, "It was a peaceful protest, but they (troops) fired dozens of tear gas shells to disperse the protestors. How could an unarmed youth hold his nerve when he is provoked by the occupational forces?”

Obliquely referring to Moulana Showkat's statement, another senior separatist leader, Shakeel Bakshi had said that those who were issuing fatwas against stone pelting in Kashmir were organising seminars in support of Palestinian youth and children resorting to the same method.