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Undercover reporters reveal the grim reality of stone-pelting in Kashmir

News reports say that as many as 19,000 people were wounded and 92 killed in a series of clashes between stone pelting protestors and security forces in Kashmir last year from July to October.

Undercover reporters reveal the grim reality of stone-pelting in KashmirA

t an unknown address in Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla district, fugitive stone-pelters dropped their face masks for a conversation with India Today TV’s undercover reporters.

We also revealed troubling truths behind the unrest in the Valley which followed last year’s killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.

Zakir Ahmad Bhat, Farooq Ahmad Lone, Wasim Ahmed Khan, Mushtaq Veeri and Ibrahim Khan made astounding confessions: from being on their underground masters’ payroll to carrying out deadly attacks on security forces, public servants and properties in the troubled region.

This is a monthly Rs 5,000-Rs 7,000 (£80), and shoes. Often even shoes,’ Bhat said when asked if he had been paid to throw stones at the security forces.

Young boys took to throw stones at mass protests that in 2008 and 2010, rattled the Kashmir Valley.

It has since become a common way for young people to express their outrage towards the government, and authorities have actively tried to stamp out a repeat of escalating violence.

Bhat is also an authority on Molotov cocktails or petrol bombs. Since last year’s stone-pelting protests that erupted after Wani’s death, who followed a large social network and was credited with reviving militancy in Kashmir, he is wanted for arson attacks.

Bhat seemed unapologetic by his own admission about forming contracts with mysterious enemies to hit troops in the Valley.

‘We pelt security forces with stones – J&K police, army jawboys, MLAs, and government cars.’ But this hired extremist declined to disclose his financiers’ identities.’ We’re going to die but won’t disclose their names. It’s the question of our bread and butter.’

In Baramulla, Sopore and Pattan he confessed to hurling the stones. ‘Then, we ‘re moving downtown (in Baramulla), where on Fridays we ‘re protesting.’

He’d supply and use gas bombs too. ‘We are having separate funds to produce petrol bombs,’ said Bhat.

For making one Molotov cocktail he charges up to Rs 700.

‘I have 50-60 bombs to have made. We’re throwing them on vehicles and anyone who comes in between,’ he said.

Undercover reporters reveal the grim reality of stone-pelting in KashmirAs many as 19,000 people were injured and 92 killed in a series of clashes between Stone-pelting protesters and security forces in Kashmir from July to October last year, news reports suggest.

About 4,000 security personnel were among the wounded. Among the dead were reportedly two jawans. Yet violent agitations are their livielihood for stone-pelters like Farooq Ahmad Lone.

‘It could be Rs 1,000, 2,000, 3,000 or even Rs 5,000,’ Lone said, citing his regular income from organizing shutdowns and Stone-pelting protests.

‘Since 2008 we’ve been stone-pelting.’ Wasim Ahmed Khan put Rs 5,000-Rs 6,000 into his monthly stipend from rock-hurling protests.

It’s Rs 700 a day on weekdays for Complice Veeri, and up to Rs 1,000 on holy Fridays.’ So, the man who pays you belongs to your village? ‘Asked an India Today TV’s investigative reporter.

‘He’s already moving in. He is related to a friend of mine,’ Veeri responded, refusing to name his paymaster.

But stone-pelters did disclose how far ahead of time they were assigned their work.

Ibrahim Khan disclosed that the secret masterminds would use the Internet to coordinate stone-pelting across various locations in Jammu and Kashmir.

Instructions on possible targets, he clarified, were distributed in advance on group-messaging platforms.

‘Instructions on whatsApp groups are given,’ Khan said. ‘Anyone you ask to pelt stones at? ‘The reporter asked.’ A cop, an Army unit, whoever comes forward. There are simple instructions,’ replied Khan, who out of the protests makes up 20,000 Rs a month.

Young children were recruited as stone-pelters too, he said. ‘How much do kids get paid? ‘The undercover journalist checked.

‘It depends on who the child is. He’ll be paid about Rs 7,000 – Rs 7,500 if he has a decent physique,’ Khan said.

But if the child recruit is weak, he added, he will be getting about Rs 5,500 to Rs 6,000.

The minimum payment for stone-pelting is set at Rs 4,000 for children up to 12 years, Khan said. Afterwards, Bhat, Veeri and Wasim Ahmad Khan shared their track record in carrying out attacks on security forces and government properties.

‘We threw petrol bombs at a vehicle standing on a bridge. Two men were burned,’ Bhat said, referring to an attack on a pair of police officers in 2014. Till now, Veeri said he had wounded at least 30 to 35 people from different security agencies.

‘I was convicted for once under the Public Safety Act (PSA). Six months behind bars,’ he said.

Wasim Ahmad Khan was a member of the same team. Jailed for a year in 2009, he revealed on several occasions that he had destroyed police, Army and government vehicles.

‘We even pelted stones against the armed forces, MLAs, ministers and their assistants,’ he said.

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