Stone pelting in Kashmir

{{see also|Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir}}

In the past, stones were pelted by the Kashmiri Muslim youth on the police in the streets of Srinagar for expressing their anger during 1931 Kashmir agitation.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fLCCbohBKzcC|title=Political Awakening in Kashmir|last=Kaur|first=Ravinderjit|date=1996|publisher=APH Publishing|isbn=978-81-7024-709-8|page=164|language=en}} After the rise of insurgency and separatist movement in Kashmir conflict, the stone pelting incidents became prominent in Kashmir from the 2008 Kashmir protests in which the separatist movement had taken a new dimension from gun-fighting with armed forces to the pelting of stones on them.{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/Understanding-Kashmirs-stone-pelters/article16120870.ece|title=Understanding Kashmir's stone pelters|newspaper=The Hindu|access-date=2017-04-17}} After the year 2008, stone pelting incidents in the valley were reported on regular basis, the prominent among them were recorded in 2010 Kashmir Unrest and 2016-17 Kashmir Unrest, nevertheless minor skirmishes were also reported in those intermediate years.{{cite news|url=https://kashmirobserver.net/2017/local-news/kashmir-shuts-remember-afzal-guru-14571 |title=Kashmir Shuts To Remember Afzal Guru – Local News |newspaper=Kashmir Observer |access-date=2017-04-17}}{{cite web|url=http://www.news18.com/news/india/kashmir-unrest-stone-pelting-incidents-reported-from-over-dozen-places-1283374.html |title=Kashmir Unrest: Stone-pelting Incidents Reported from Over Dozen Places |publisher=News18 |date=2016-08-20 |access-date=2017-04-17}}

The act of stoning (rajm) is mentioned in multiple Hadiths. However some factions within Islam disagree with the legality of rajm. In Pakistan, military dictator General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq who implemented Sharia law reconstituted a court, which declared rajm as Islamic.{{citation needed|date=January 2021}}

Many separatist leaders say that stone pelting is a form of resistance used by Kashmiri people to challenge Indian administration.{{Cite web|date=2017-03-31|title=Stone pelting tool of resistance in Kashmir: Hurriyat (G)|url=https://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/kashmir/stone-pelting-tool-of-resistance-in-kashmir-hurriyat-g/|access-date=2021-01-08|website=Greater Kashmir|language=en-US}}

MC Kash a Kashmiri Rapper writes in his song I Protest, {{blockquote|"I protest, For a mother who lost her son. I protest, I'll throw stones and never run".}}

According to scholar Waheeda Khan, most of the 'stone-pelters' are school and college going students. The stone-pelters, in turn get attacked by the armed personnel with pellets, rubber bullets, sling shots and tear gas shells. This leads to eye-injuries and several other kind of injuries to many people. Security forces also face injuries, and sometimes get beaten up during these events. Large number of these. According to political activist Mannan Bukhari, Kashmiris made stone, an easily accessible and defenseless weapon, their weapon of choice for protest.{{Cite book|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BvpUCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA88|title=Child Safety, Welfare and Well-being: Issues and Challenges|last=Deb|first=Sibnath|date=2015-08-05|publisher=Springer|isbn=978-81-322-2425-9|page=88|language=en|chapter=Waheeda Khan, Conflict in Kashmir.}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=43ZJCgAAQBAJ&q=kashmir+stone+pelting&pg=PT44|title=Kashmir – Scars of Pellet Gun: The Brutal Face of Suppression|last=Bukhari|first=Mannan|date=2015-07-28|publisher=Partridge Publishing|isbn=978-1-4828-5006-2|page=44|language=en}} Incidents have been there where Kashmiri youth was hired during protests for stone pelting.

Kashmiri senior journalist Parvaiz Bukhari remarked:

The summer of 2010 witnessed a convulsion in the world's most militarized zone, the Indian-controlled part of Kashmir, an unprecedented and deadly civil unrest that is beginning to change a few things on the ground. [...] Little known and relatively anonymous resistance activists emerged, organizing an unarmed agitation more fierce than the armed rebellion against Indian rule two decades earlier. And apparently aware of the post 9/11 world, young Kashmiris, children of the conflict, made stones and rocks a weapon of choice against government armed forces, side-stepping the tag of a terrorist movement linked with Pakistan. The unrest represents a conscious transition to an unarmed mass movement, one that poses a moral challenge to New Delhi's military domination over the region.

During the 2016–17 Kashmir unrest, in March 2017, India Today, after conducting an investigative operation in the Kashmir Valley, has reported that some stone-pelters are paid for protesting by separatist forces. India Today interviewed five protesters from Baramulla district who confessed on camera that they are paid an amount of Rs. 5,000-Rs 7,000 a month and are also provided with clothes and shoes. One of them also said that separate funds are given for making petrol bombs. They refused to disclose the identity of the financiers.{{Cite news|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/jammu-and-kashmir-stone-pelters-hizbul-mujahideen-burhan-wani/1/915751.html|title=Stone pelters on hire in Kashmir: India Today nails Valleys insidious villains|work=India Today|access-date=2017-05-13}} In April 2017, a report by Indian Intelligence Bureau (IB) has stated that the Pakistan's intelligence agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) supplied Rs 800 crore to Kashmiri separatist leaders including Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Asiya Andrabi to fuel unrest in the Valley. As per the report, the funds supplied by the ISI were used to pay off stone-pelters and petrol bomb throwers, and also to propagate anti-India and anti-security forces sentiments in the Valley.{{Cite news|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/jammu-and-kashmir-india-inter-services-intelligence-pakistan-isi-separatists-kashmir-unrest/1/920049.html|title=Pakistans ISI paid Kashmiri separatists Rs 800 crore to fuel unrest in Kashmir, says Intelligence Bureau report|work=India Today|access-date=2017-04-23}}

In 2009 separatists and political party workers were believed to be behind stone-throwing incidents, which led to retaliatory fire from the police. An auto rickshaw laden with stones meant for distribution was seized by the police in March 2009.{{cite news |agency=PTI|date=10 March 2009|title=Separatists behind stone-pelting incidents: Police|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090311/j&k.htm#1|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100223095343/http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090311/j%26k.htm|archive-date=23 February 2010|access-date=2 February 2010|newspaper=The Tribune}}{{cite web|title=Stones And Psyches|url=http://www.kashmirobserver.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1051:stones-and-psyches&catid=7:editorial&Itemid=8|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100612211206/http://kashmirobserver.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1051%3Astones-and-psyches&catid=7%3Aeditorial&Itemid=8|archive-date=12 June 2010|access-date=2 February 2010|publisher=Kashmirobserver.net}}

In 2016, Kashmir witnessed 2690 stone pelting incidents in various districts with Baramulla topping the list with 492 incidents followed by Srinagar and Kupwara each with 339 incidents. The least recorded incidents were 65 in Ganderbal. According to official data of state home department, North Kashmir saw the highest number of 1,248 incidents followed by 875 incidents in South Kashmir and 567 in Central Kashmir.{{cite web|url=http://www.kashmirmonitor.in/Details/119114/kashmir-witnessed-2690-stone-pelting-incidents-in-2016 |title=Kashmir witnessed 2690 stone pelting incidents in 2016 |website=Kashmirmonitor.in |date=2017-03-06 |access-date=2017-04-17}}

On 7 September 2018, Jammu and Kashmir plainclothes policemen disguised themselves as stone-pelters and mingled among a stone pelting mob in Srinagar, resulting in the successful arrests of repeat stone-pelting offenders.{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/jk-cops-disguise-as-stone-pelters-to-catch-real-culprits/articleshow/65728947.cms|title=How J&K cops used a novel strategy to nab stone-pelters in Srinagar – Times of India|work=The Times of India|access-date=2018-09-08}} The policemen threw stones as well as used toy guns as part of the disguise.{{Cite web|url=https://www.firstpost.com/india/toy-guns-covert-cops-against-stone-pelters-jammu-and-kashmir-police-adopts-fresh-strategy-to-catch-real-culprits-5141221.html|title=Toy guns, covert cops: Jammu and Kashmir Police plants its men among stone pelters to catch real culprits in action – Firstpost|website=firstpost.com|access-date=2018-09-08}} This strategy had previously been used by the police in the region during the 2010 unrest in Kashmir.{{Cite news|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/jammu-and-kashmir-policemen-disguise-as-stone-pelters-to-catch-real-culprits/story-4hkeOtsi2ZaL8J0h5ZZxzH.html|title=Jammu and Kashmir policemen disguise as stone pelters to catch real culprits|date=2018-09-07|work=Hindustan Times|access-date=2018-09-08|language=en}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/jk-police-stuns-stone-throwing-protesters-by-joining-them-arrests-four/316230|title=J&K Policemen Disguise As Stone Pelters To Arrest Culprits|work=Outlook India|access-date=2018-09-08}}

On 25 October 2018, an Indian Army soldier was killed after sustaining head injuries in a stone pelting incident in Anantnag district of South Kashmir.{{Cite news|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/jk-army-jawan-succumbs-to-injuries-from-stone-pelting-three-others-killed-in-anti-militancy-ops-5420202/|title=J-K: Soldier suffers head injury during stone-pelting, dies|date=2018-10-26|work=The Indian Express|access-date=2018-10-28|language=en-US}} The Indian soldier was identified to be Rajendra Singh, a 22 year old from Uttarakhand. An army spokesperson said that Sepoy Rajendra Singh was part of a "Quick Reaction Team" that was providing security to a Border Roads Organisation (BRO) convoy.{{Cite news|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/army-soldier-dies-as-protestors-throw-stones-at-army-convoy-in-jammu-and-kashmir-s-anantnag/story-EH1RWZqx2bWnZhka6LN1YM.html|title=22-year-old soldier injured in stone throwing in Jammu and Kashmir, dies|date=2018-10-26|work=Hindustan Times|access-date=2018-10-28|language=en}} Following the event Army Chief General Bipin Rawat said that stone pelters are like terrorists and must be dealt with sternly, repeating his earlier stand that the stone-pelters are nothing but over ground workers of terror outfits, "I still say the same... If they (stone-pelters) can kill people with such acts, are they not becoming like terrorists".{{Cite news|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/72nd-infantry-day-army-chief-general-bipin-rawat-says-why-shouldnt-stone-pelters-be-treated-like-ter-1938497|title=Kashmir Stone-Throwers Targeting Soldiers Are Like Terrorists: Army Chief|work=NDTV.com|access-date=2018-10-28}}{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/army-chief-says-stone-pelters-in-jk-must-be-dealt-with-sternly/articleshow/66389971.cms|title=Army chief says stone-pelters in J&K must be dealt with sternly|work=The Times of India|access-date=2018-10-28}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-stone-pelters-working-for-terror-outfits-says-army-chief-general-bipin-rawat-2680047|title=Stone-pelters working for terror outfits, says Army Chief General Bipin Rawat|date=2018-10-28|work=dna|access-date=2018-10-28|language=en-US}}

In July 2016, posters attributed to a group of stone-pelters, calling themselves as "Sangbaaz Association Jammu and Kashmir, Azad Kashmir", were seen in Srinagar.{{Cite news |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/srinagar-poster-stone-pelters-scooty-women-girls-threat-shopkeepers-2946297/|title=Poster in Srinagar warns girls, shopkeepers|date=31 July 2016|newspaper=The Indian Express|agency=Press Trust of India|access-date=2019-03-02}} The posters listed various points, including threatening to burn girls alive for riding scooters. The text read as – "we request all girls please don't use of scooty if we saw any girl who ride scooty we will burn the scooty as well as the girl".{{Cite web|url=https://www.thequint.com/kashmir-after-burhan-wani/2016/07/31/posters-issued-in-kashmir-threaten-girls-on-scooties-reports-say|title=Posters Issued in Kashmir Threaten Girls on Scooties, Reports Say|date=31 July 2016|website=The Quint|language=en|access-date=2019-03-02}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-if-you-ride-scooty-you-ll-be-killed-j-k-stone-pelters-body-threatens-girls-2239578|title=If you ride Scooty, you'll be killed, J & K stone-pelters' body threatens girls|last=Hassan|first=Ishfaq|date=31 July 2016|website=DNA|language=en|access-date=2019-03-02}} Kashmiri media blackened out the report of the threats, but it was carried by media agencies and houses such as Press Trust of India, The Indian Express and The Quint. Reacting to the blackout, Shujaat Bukhari, Editor-in-Chief of Rising Kashmir stated, "The issue is that you don't know who is putting up these posters... There is no authenticity."{{Cite web|url=https://www.exchange4media.com/media-print-news/kashmiri-media-blackens-out-threats-issued-to-scooty-riding-girls-65455.html|title=Kashmiri media blackens out threats issued to scooty-riding girls – Exchange4media|last=Ahmad Khan|first=Saif|date=2 August 2016|website=Exchange4Media|language=en|access-date=2019-03-02}}

• Palestinian stone-throwing

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite news|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1330216/|title=From Akbar to Modi, Kashmiris have a history of pelting stones at oppressors|work=Dawn|location=Pakistan|date=1 May 2017|first=Muhammad|last=Faysal}}

Category:Revolutionary tactics