Paramilitary force issues a set of guidelines for better crowd dispersal in Kashmir; new rules to be printed on pamphlets
Even as the uproar over the use of controversial pellet guns on civilians in Kashmir continues, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has issued new guidelines for its troops elaborating on a step-by-step process for better crowd dispersal. Notable in the guidelines is the underlying principle of “when in doubt, don’t shoot”, while operating on the ground to prevent lethal injuries, and casualties, among civilians.
The new seven-stage guideline will soon be printed in a pamphlet and distributed among CRPF troops in J&K.
The Center and CRPF have time and again reiterated that the use of pellet guns is imperative to disperse crowds during search and cordon operations, which form part of counterinsurgency operations in Kashmir.
“We were following the SOP for crowd control, rioting and guide issued by the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D). The new guidelines mention seven stages, including ammunition or measures to be followed before pellet shots are fired using the Pump Action Gun (PAG),’’ a senior official from the Ops division of CRPF said. He added that while forces on the ground were operating under the principle of ‘maximum restraint, minimum force,’ it will now be mandatory to follow the seven stages.
Violating these guidelines will invite action. The list says that while plastic pellets (non-penetrative) can be aimed at particular targets, pellet shots should be fired with deflectors only on the foot or on the lower half of a person’s body. To prevent firing on unsuspected targets like children, the new guidelines reinforce the principle of 'when in doubt, don’t shoot.’
The existing SOP for crowd control by the BPR&D does not include ammunition like tear smoke and pellets, that are currently in use by the CRPF and the J&K police.
“The new guidelines and SOP have incorporated different munitions in use, as they were previously not introduced,’’ the officer said. Accordingly, PAVA shells, Oleoreisin, Stun Lac grenade, rubber bullets, plastic pellets and lead pellet shots are included in the new guidelines. If these measures fail to disperse crowds, the security forces resort resort to live ammunition or aerial firing.
However, an CRPF officer from Srinagar said that forces follow the basic operating procedure and use pellet shots as a last resort.
STEPS TO ENSURE MOB CONTROL
- Warning, mediation, negotiation
- Employ the use of water cannons
- Tear smoke munitions CV/Pava/Oleoreisin
- Tear smoke grenades
- Lathicharge
- Plastic pellets/rubber bullets
- Pump action guns spewing pellets with deflectors
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 "Crowd control")
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