Police, paramilitary personnel trained to handle stone pelting: CRPF DG

The situation in Kashmir was definitely under control: CRPF CG

Police and paramilitary CRPF personnel are being trained in standard operating procedures (SOPs) to help them deal with stone throwing incidents in Kashmir, CRPF Director General R R Bhatnagar said on Wednesday.

The DG said strategy, training and new SOPs had been formulated.

"Using non-lethal ammunition mostly, we along with JK police have devised a strategy to put to work during strikes and stone pelting and you will see its effect soon," he said.

The DG was talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function held for widows of paramilitary personnel killed on duty. Among the personnel killed was Commandant Pramod Kumar, who died in a militant attack on August 15 last year.

On counter-insurgency operations in Kashmir, Bhatnagar said security forces were meeting with success.

"There is good coordination between the J&K police, Army and CRPF, who are all working as one unit, and the operations will continue in the future as well," he said.

Referring to the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen operational commander Yasin Itoo last week, the DG CRPF said seven commanders had been killed this year and 132 terrorists "neutralised".

"In the coming time, we will have more successes," he said.

Bhatnagar refused to speak on the number of militants active in the Valley but maintained that "anti-militancy operations are ongoing and whoever treads this path, will face action".

On NIA probes into separatist and terror funding, he said these would have an effect.

"Illegal things, illicit funds are either for terror or law and order (disturbance) or stone pelting. The NIA raids will have an effect on them," he said, adding there was already a "positive effect".

He said the situation in Kashmir was "definitely under control".