Tarigami wants use of pellet guns discontinued

CPI(M) MLA from Kulgam M Y Tarigami on Monday, asked Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to discontinue the use of pellet guns for crowd control in the Valley and order an enquiry into the death of a boy who was hit by pellets during a protest.

Tarigami wrote a letter to the Chief Minister following the death of a 12-year-old boy in Safakadal area of the city three days ago due to injuries sustained by him after he was hit by pellets fired by security forces to disperse a protest in that area.

"One fails to understand why the pellet guns are still being used, despite the fact that its use was strongly denounced by the entire opposition and the matter was vehemently discussed in Parliament too.There was also an assurance about its withdrawal from the mob control arsenal.

"I understand that as the head of the Unified Command, you are empowered to disallow the use of this weapon, which despite counter claims, has proved quite lethal," Tarigami said in the letter which was released to the media here.

Tarigami called for a thorough probe into the killing of the 12-year-old so that responsibility is fixed and the guilty punished.

Tarigami said it was advisable to deal with the situation in the Valley with caution.

"Keeping the precarious ground situation in view, it is quite rational and advisable to deal with the situation with extreme caution. While maintaining public order, the law enforcing agencies should not become a law unto themselves and resort to the maxim of tit for tat," he added.

Tariagmi also asked the Chief Minister to stop slapping Public Safety Act on the youth arrested by security forces.

"Till now number of youngsters and political activists have been put behind bars under the infamous Public Safety Act. Needless to say that this act being a draconian law should in no way be invoked for the maintenance of law and order in the state," he said.