Srinagar, Sept 26: Under fire for using excess force during the current unrest in Kashmir Valley, the paramilitary CRPF today said its personnel resorted to firing only after “exhausting all non-lethal methods of crowd control.”
 "There is a perception among some people, particulary among sections of civil society, that CRPF is firing on unruly mobs in Jammu and Kashmir at the first instance without using alternate methods. All non-lethal methods are used to disperse the mobs and firing is resorted to only when there is an imminent danger to life and property," Special CRPF Director General N K Triptahy said in a statement here.
 “The CRPF men along with the state police were increasingly using non-lethal methods of crowd control in the Valley,” he said
 "It is presumed in some sections that CRPF uses force at the first sight of mobs. Some people have even criticized the force for going berserk. This is far from truth," the CRPF Special DG said.
 "To meet any violent situation, the CRPF and the police in Jammu and Kashmir are resorting to graded response only," Tripathy said.
 He claimed the track record of CRPF in recent times had been to maintain a self-imposed restraint even in the face of grave provocation.
 "The situation in Jammu and Kashmir in recent months has been very disturbed and the law and order situation is in turmoil. Riotous mobs pelt stones on force personnel on regular basis. More than 50 times, the CRPF camps have been attacked by mobs," the Special DG said.
 He said over 1400 force personnel had been injured in the past three months in the state.
 Tripathy said the CRPF was under great physical and psychological stress. "The jawans and officers have to work very hard for long hours of duty. They maintain restraint even when they are seriously injured by the mobs," he claimed.
 The Special DG announced rewards of Rs 2500 for each of the injured personnel and Rs 7500 each for those grievously hurt while dealing with the law and order in the Valley.
 "This is not a compensation for their injuries but a reward for maintaining restraint in spite of getting injured," he said.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 26 Sep 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 26 Sep 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 27 Sep 2010 00:00:00 IST