J&K Police pick up 100 people for stone pelting

As many as seven more people have been booked with charges under the Act. Altogether,the number of such people booked under the Act has reached 14.

Today over three dozen people were picked up from the Srinagar city itself and in districts including Baramulla and Anantnag.

The authorities decided to clampdown on stone pelters as they used to bring the Kashmir Valley to a grinding halt over irrelevant issues,the sources said.

As many as 50 people were also picked up from Shopian district,which has been witnessing frequent strikes over the alleged rape and murder of two women.

Some of the stone pelters have been slapped with serious charges of attempt to murder because their acts had led to life-threatening situations for some of the jawans,they said.

The crackdown began from the intervening night of July 8 and July 9 and is expected to continue for some more time till all culprits are brought to book,the official sources said.

As part of the crackdown,a list of anti-social elements was prepared in consultation with intelligence agencies and local police stations after which raids to pick up people who had been disturbing peace in various districts of the Valley were taken up,they said.

Police have slapped charges ranging from disturbing peace to serious offences under Section 307 (attempt of murder) on those arrested.

The state tourism industry has taken the biggest hit because of the strikes,they said,adding that some local journalists,who were allegedly indulging in spreading rumours and inciting the mobs with wrong reporting,have also been identified and warned.