First-time stone pelters: J&K govt starts withdrawing cases

Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti (File)

A day after the Centre asked J&K government to withdraw cases against youths found involved in stone pelting for the first time, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday said her government has started withdrawing the cases. After the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, thousands of cases were registered against stone-pelters across the Valley. Earlier also, several cases were registered in connection with stone pelting. Of these, 4,500 cases were registered against those who were found involved in stone pelting or other incidents for the first time.

On Wednesday, Mehbooba said the government has started withdrawing such cases. “It gives me immense satisfaction to restart the process of withdrawing FIRs against first-time offenders of stone pelting. My government had initiated the process in May 2016 but it was unfortunately stalled due to the unrest later that year,” she tweeted. The decision to withdraw these cases comes on the recommendation of Dineshwar Sharma, Centre’s representative for Kashmir talks.