Stone-throwers have added lethal petrol bombs to their armoury to target security forces in strife-torn Kashmir. The disturbing trend is now fast catching up with the youth.
Stone-throwers have added lethal petrol bombs to their armoury to target security forces in strife-torn Kashmir. The disturbing trend is now fast catching up with the youth.
“Petrol bombs were thrown at security forces some places during recent stone pelting incidents. Youngsters were seen using those petrol bombs,” CRPF spokesman Prabhakar Tripathi said.
Making petrol bombs is easy. The youth fill glass bottles with petrol and wrap some clothes around them. The clothes serve as wicks. After igniting the wicks, they throw the bottles on security forces. The bottles explode and the petrol spreads and catches fire.
“Such bombs can cause heavy damage,” Tripathi said.
Security forces are now devising a new strategy to deal with this threat. “We use barricades and other tools to keep petrol bomb throwers at bay,” said Tripathi.
Nearly 1,500 CRPF jawans have been injured in stone pelting incidents in the past one-and-a-half years. Around 373 vehicles were also damaged due to stone pelting during that period. About 100 CRPF men have been injured in the recent stone pelting incidents. In addition, hundreds of state police personnel have also suffered grievous injuries.
Police have arrested several suspected stone throwers and booked them under stringent acts, including waging war against the state.
“We are interrogating them. The government has proof at hand to show that huge money in being pumped into such violent activities by vested interests. They don’t have any ideology. The government will soon expose the sponsors of the stone throwers,” Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah said.
The hard-line faction of Hurriyat Conference has called for a Kashmir Bandh on Saturday to protest the crackdown on stone throwers.
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