Meanwhile, heavy clashes are also being reported in different parts of Kashmir after Friday prayers at Mosques. A massive rally was called by protesters in the Bandipora area of Kashmir. To disperse the stone throwers, police and paramilitary forces used tear gas and pellets which injured more than a dozen protesters.
Protesters throwing stones and other objects at security personnel were met by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), which used 3,000 pellet cartridges, 8,650 tear gas shells, 2,671 plastic pellets along with 14 types of “less lethal and non-lethal” munitions like oleoresin grenades, pepper balls and stun grenades non-lethal weapons to disperse them. Pellet guns spray small iron ball bearings at targets at high speeds.
India’s Home Ministry said last week that since July 8, approximately 5,000 security personnel were injured in violent protests which erupted after Burhan Wani, a top Hizbul Mujahideen militant, was neutralized while approximately 4,000 civilians sustained injuries.