‘765 Arrested in Valley in 190 Incidents of Stone-Pelting Since August 5,’ MHA Informs Lok Sabha

The number of those arrested in such cases between January 1-August 4, according to MoS (Home) G Kishan Reddy, is 361. He further blamed separatist organisations, including the Hurriyat, for instigating youths to indulge in stone-pelting against the forces.

New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Tuesday answered several questions in the Lok Sabha over law and order situation in Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of the abrogation of Article 370, including informing the lower house that more than 750 people have been arrested there since August 5, the day 370 move was effected, thereby revoking the special status of the erstwhile state.

Replying to a written question from Kanak Mal Katara, BJP MP from Rajasthan’s Banswara, MoS (Home) G Kishan Reddy said, “Since August 5, 765 people have been arrested in 190 cases of stone-pelting. The number of those arrested in such cases between January 1-August 4 is 361.”

Replying to another question from the MP, the minister further stressed that the number of stone-pelting incidents in the Valley had indeed decreased since August 5.

He further blamed separatist organisations, including the Hurriyat, for instigating youths to indulge in stone-pelting against the forces. Praising the government’s policy to check stone-pelting, Reddy further said, “A multi-pronged approach by the government has led to the identification of a large number of trouble makers, instigators and mob mobilisers against whom several measures, including detention under the Public Safety Act (PSA) have been taken.”

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Reddy further informed the House that there had been 950 ceasefire violations (CFVs) by Pakistan between August and October. On the question of pellet guns, he said that these have been used to deal with only severe law and order problems to avoid civilian casualties.

“Attendance in schools was initially thin, but is 99.7% at present,” he added.

Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh are currently two separate union territories, a status they achieved on October 31 under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act. The bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir was a part of the government’s August 5 announcement.