Days after Home Minister Rajnath Singh said he will look for alternatives to pellet guns to control the protesters in Kashmir reports said on Monday that government has no plan to stop the use of the guns for now.
As per reports a Home Ministry panel has recommended that while chilli pepper-filled balls (PAVA shells) are an effective non-lethal way to control mobs, there should not be any ban on pellet guns and pellet guns should be reserved for emergency measures.
Both the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Jammu and Kashmir Police are in favour of retaining the pellet guns to deter mobs, reports quoting government panel said.
As per reports the panel has suggested additional protocols and restrictions to be put in place for the use of pellet guns.
A new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), in which pellet guns can only be used after clearance from a senior officer, is being worked upon, reports said.