The controversial pellet guns used widely by security forces in Kashmir Valley may soon give way to PAVA shells, a chilli-filled ammunition, which is non-lethal but only immobilises the target temporarily.
While Home Minister Rajnath Singh promised in Srinagar on Thursday to introduce an alternative to the pellet guns, Home Ministry officials in New Delhi said that PAVA shells could be the new weapon to tackle stone pelters.
Conceding that pellet guns did not prove to be “non-lethal”, the Home Minister said an expert committee will submit its report within three to four days on the use of pellet guns. “We will propose a substitute to pellet guns,” he assured.
Reports from Delhi said that an expert panel held a presentation of the newly-developed shells at a test field here earlier this week and gave the thumbs up for use by security forces for crowd control and during protests like those being witnessed in the Valley, in place of the pellet guns which have caused grievous injuries and large-scale blinding.
The PAVA shells, as per the blueprint prepared in this regard, were under trial for over a year at the Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, a Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) laboratory in lucknow.
It is understood that the committee has recommended that the Tear Smoke Unit (TSU) of the Border Security Force in Gwalior should be tasked with bulk production of the shells “immediately”, with the first lot containing not less than 50,000 rounds.
The name PAVA comes from Pelargonic Acid Vanillylamide, also called Nonivamide, and is an organic compound found characteristically in natural chilli pepper.
On the Scoville scale (a measurement of the pungency of chilli peppers), PAVA is categorised as “above peak” meaning it will severely irritate and paralyse humans temporarily. It is also used as a food additive to add pungency, flavouring and spice to food.
The committee said PAVA can be categorised in the less-lethal munition category. Once fired, the shells burst and temporarily stun, immobilise and paralyse the target (protesters) in a more effective way than a tear gas shell or pepper sprays.
The panel noted that PAVA is “bio-safe, better than chilli grenade or tear smoke shell and can also be used in combination with stun and tear shells” by security forces while tackling unruly protesters.
Apart from promising to replace the pellet guns, the Home Minister reiterated his call for dialogue under the ambit of Kashmiriyat, Insaniyat and Jamhooriyat, and asked the State Government to prepare to receive an all-party delegation from Delhi.
Addressing a joint Press conference with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti at her official residence on the concluding day of his two-day visit to the State, Singh said the Central Government was concerned about the future of Kashmiri children.
“India will have no future if Kashmir does not have a future,” he said, adding, “The youth in Kashmir should have pens, books and computers in their hands, not stones.”
He said that his second visit in a month’s time is indicative of the concern the Government has for Kashmir. He said he met around 20 delegations comprising around 300 people and discussed the prevailing situation.
The Home Minister said his Ministry would soon set-up a nodal agency that would look into complaints of the Kashmiri youth.
“I want to inform you that the Ministry of Home Affairs will appoint a nodal officer for Kashmiri youth across the country. They can call the officer on the number which will be announced soon,” he said, recalling his recent speech in lucknow where he appealed to the youth in the rest of the country to treat Kashmiri students as their own brothers and sisters in educational institutions and workplaces.
Singh refused to discuss the deployment of the Border Security Force as an admission of the fact that the CRPF has committed atrocities. He said it was not proper to discuss the issue. “The security forces have been deployed in the past. Same has happened this time also,” he said.
On whether the Government intended to hold talks with the separatist Hurriyat Conference, Singh said, “We want to hold talks with everyone within the ambit of humanity.”
Earlier, Singh met Pahari community leaders, a six-member delegation of the Sikh community and a three-member delegation of Panthers Party.
In his meeting with Mehbooba Mufti, the two leaders held detailed discussions on security situation and reviewed development projects. The Union Home Minister also held a meeting with the Governor NN Vohra and State Cabinet Ministers led by Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Kumar Singh.