‘Subversive elements fuelling stone-pelters’

When home minister Rajnath Singh instructed the security forces in the Kashmir Valley to act with utmost restraint against the stone-pelting mob, it was not without reason. Specific intelligence reports, details of which have been accessed by this newspaper, available with the home ministry have reveal a sinister plan on part of some subversive elements, backed by Pakistan, who were instigating the stone-pelting mob to provoke security forces into firing on the crowd which would lead to a higher casualty rate.

According to the intelligence report, “A higher casualty rate would have led to widespread reaction and condemnation, thus bringing the ongoing turbulence in Kashmir into international limelight.” “The strategy of these subversive elements is to compel the security forces into firing on the crowd and, in turn, internationalise the Kashmir issue,’’ the intelligence input states.

Following this, the home ministry issued specific instructions to security force to fire on the stone-pelting mob as an “absolute last resort” and this is perhaps the reason why the forces were compelled to use more of pellet guns on the rioters. Thus, sources said, even though the “intensity” of the agitation this time is much more as compared to the 2010 violence, the casualty rate is lower. As many as 107 people were killed in the 2010 violence, while the toll this time is 67 and the home ministry wants to contain the damage.

Intelligence reports have already confirmed the involvement of terror group Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, Over Ground Workers (OGWs) of Pak-based terror groups and some separatists in the Valley in the ongoing agitation.

In fact, one of the intelligence reports has also revealed that most of the stone-pelters are from the economically weaker sections of the society and thus were “more vulnerable” to being attracted to the agitation for financial considerations. The NIA and IB is already conducting an investigation into large amount of money being routed into the Valley and it is suspected about `30 crore has already been used to for fuelling the violence. The NIA is also probing LeT’s role in the turbulence.

“We have done a detailed profiling of the agitating mob and it reveals that most come from very poor background and are being paid money by these subversive elements. Most of them are in the age group of 15-18 years and being from the economically weaker section, are being soft targets,” an intelligence official said.