Stone Pelting Incidents In J&K Fall By Whopping 87.13 Per Cent In 2020 Following Article 370 Revocation

As compared to 2019, Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) has experienced a dip in stone pelting incidents by 87.13 per cent in 2020. The Director General of Police (DGP) of J&K Dilbag Singh said that there have been 255 stone-pelting incidents in 2020 as compared to 1,999 stone-pelting incidents in 2019, reports the Economic Times.

"Law and order situation is well under control. Our resolve for 2021 is strengthening and consolidating peace and normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir," DGP Dilbagh Singh said.

Out of 1,999 stone-pelting incidents that occurred in 2019, 1,193 incidents took place after the abrogation of the special status of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

The Narendra Modi led government at the Centre revoked Article 370 on 5 August 2019. Article 370 gave special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, which is now divided into union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

According to officials, the dip in stone-pelting incidents in 2020 was 90 per cent if compared to 2016. In 2016, the killing of terrorist Burhan Wani of the Hizbul Mujahideen had triggered violent protests across Kashmir.

In Kashmir, stone pelting is a popular choice of weapon during protests. A top commander of the Indian Army had termed this trend of stone-pelting as "agitational terrorism" as it mainly targets the security forces who often could not respond with gun on stone-pelters.