Srinagar, Feb 12: Notwithstanding directive of the Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights Commission (SHRC), police and paramilitary CRPF have been using pepper gas in various areas of Shaher-e-Khaas during curfew in past four days causing inconvenience to locals.
 Inhabitants of Safakadal, Nawakadal, Kawdara, Rajouri Kadal, Nowhatta, Shahampora, Gojwara, Noorbagh and adjoining areas in Shaher-e-Khaas accused police and CRPF of using pepper guns without any provocation.
 They said use of pepper gas has taken a heavy toll on health of children and aged.
 “Due to use of pepper gas, my father, who is an asthma patient, faces difficulty to breathe properly,” said an inhabitant of Safakadal.
 Miffed at use of pepper gas in past four days, a family of Nawa Kadal has migrated from the area.
 “Had we not shifted our elderly father, a chronic asthma patient would have died of suffocation,” said Mushtaq Ahmad.
 The inhabitants said in past four days of continued curfew, police and paramilitary CRPF often burst pepper shells particularly in evening hours. “It seems the State government wants to suffocate us in gas chambers of Nazi rule that we are being made to breathe deadly shell smoke,” the aggrieved residents said.
 A family of Nowhatta area said due to bursting of pepper shells, their children are not feeling well. “Our children cry due to pain in eyes and chest,” a group of parents said.
 When contacted Superintendent of Police north City Tahir Saleem Khan refuted the allegations. “We are not using it (pepper guns),” the SP told Greater Kashmir
 In 2011, the SHRC had recommended the State government to refrain from using excessive pepper gas (pepper grenades) for crowd dispersal, saying other methods of controlling law and order need to be explored.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 12 Feb 2013 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 12 Feb 2013 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 13 Feb 2013 00:00:00 IST