SRINAGAR: Describing stone pelting as more serious an issue than terrorism, Inspector General Police Kashmir range Vijay Kumar said nobody will be allowed to disrupt peace in the valley by indulging in stone pelting.
Speaking to reporters at a press conference in Srinagar he said stone throwing incidents create a negative impact on tourism, the annual Amarnath Yatra and also lead to closure of schools and colleges. He said law and order issues are a bigger worry for the security forces.
"Stone pelting is a larger issue that involves the society, so we are taking stone pelting more seriously," he said.
"We don't want schools to close, business activities to close and tourists stop coming, so law and order is a more serious issue for us," he said.
He said when there is an exchange of fire between militants and security forces locals are asked to come out of their residences. "Some locals resort to stone pelting near the encounter site," he said. "We handle them accordingly; we arrest them and book them under PSA."
The IGP Kashmir said youth from neighbouring areas do not come to pelt stones at the encounter site. He said a summer strategy is ready that includes setting up new naka points and shifting camps in some places. (IANS)