Don’t pelt stones on our own army: J&K Police chief

Jammu and Kashmir Police Chief Shehs Pal Vaid on Friday appealed youth to not rush towards encounter sites and said police are in talks with the army and paramilitary forces so that civilian killings could be stopped during operations.

“We too feel the pain when such killings happen. We have appealed youth not to rush towards encounter sites,” Vaid told reporters on the sidelines of Martyrs Day function in old Srinagar, adding, “Why to pelt army with stones? This is our own army why this bloodshed?"

Police records reveal at least 106 civilians died in forces' firing near encounter sites since January 2017. According to official figures, 78 civilians were killed near encounter sites in 2017 while 42 civilians lost their lives this year.

One of the major reasons security agencies cite for frequent civilian killings during protests at the encounter sites is “intense stone pelting and protestors’ bid to get closer to the house where militants are holed up to help militants flee”.