90% dip in stone-pelting incidents: J&K DGP

Call it National Investigation Agency (NIA) or demonetization effect, stone pelting has dropped by 90 percent in the restive Kashmir valley this year.

Data available reveal there were over 2,000 incidents of stone pelting last year which has dipped to 700 till August-end this year. Over 1,000 CRPF men were injured in stone pelting last year. This year, 720 stone-pelting incidents were reported from different parts of Kashmir till August-end, in which 331 CRPF men were injured. The figures exclude thousands of policemen injured in the stone-pelting in Kashmir in the last two years.

“Stone pelting incidents have roughly dropped by 90 percent this year. Earlier, there were 50 incidents of stone pelting reported daily and now there is not even one incident in a week or 10 days”, Dr Shesh Paul Vaid, director general of police, Jammu and Kashmir told DNA.

The DGP said credit goes to the people of Kashmir. “You tell me hasn’t situation improved? Credit goes to people”, he said.

Sources said demonetization and NIA raids have hit the stone-pelting syndicate and militants hard in Kashmir.  Sources said the militants require huge money to pay their cadres, buying logistics, including smartphones, SIM cards and paying for transport and other facilities.

Figures reveal that around 12 banks have been looted since demonetization was announced in November last year.

NIA raids in the terror funding cases too have dealt a blow to stone pelting because fund flow has suddenly stopped, which has hit the morale of the separatists. “Every transaction is now under watch and every possible financier under surveillance. This has hit the morale of the stone throwers and their backers in the Valley”, said an officer.