SC to hear J-K Bar Association's plea against use of pellet guns

The Supreme Court will on Monday hear the Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association's plea against use of pellet guns in the state.

In the last hearing, the apex court had asked the Centre to consider effective means other than use of pellet guns to quell stone pelting mobs in Jammu and Kashmir as it concerns life and death.

The Kashmir High Court Bar Association (KHBA) had earlier alleged that the pellet guns are being 'misused'.

The case was filed in the wake of the several lives lost during last year unrest in the Kashmir Valley.

The division bench of the Supreme Court had, in December last year, admitted the petition for hearing and directed the Central Government to submit the report of the team of experts constituted on the use of pellet guns before the court.

Earlier in July 2016, the Centre constituted a team to recommend suitable replacement for the pellet guns.

A seven-member expert committee set up for exploring other possible alternatives to pellet guns as non-lethal weapons submitted its report to Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi in August.