Kashmir unrest: MHA issues orders to make PAVA shell more 'effective'

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has decided to make the PAVA (Pelargonic Acid Vanillyl Amide) shell which is used by the armed forces to tackle the stone pelters in the Kashmir valley more effective. Earlier the armed forced raised questions on the effectiveness of the PAVA shell.

Now the MHA has ordered the Tear unit of Border Security Force (BSF) to make the PAVA shell more effective so that can be used in the Kashmir valley, sources state. Earlier the Home Ministry replaced pellet guns with PAVA shell after huge number of people were injured due to them.

PAVA shell is a chilli-based non-lethal munition which temporarily incapacitates the targets and renders them immobile for several minutes.