[GRAPHIC WARNING] Indian Army resorts to pellet guns in Kashmir to stop Muharram processions

Armed forces in Srinagar of Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IoJ&K) have fired pellet guns and tear gas on the troubled valley’s Shia community members in attempts to keep them from taking out Muharram processions on Ashura, it has emerged.

Our unequivocal condemnation of the completely unwarranted use of force, including pellets, against Muharram mourners. This unprecedented crack down goes against all norms that a civilised society would expect. https://t.co/nFUBtBIvdA

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) August 31, 2020

According to reports, dozens of people sustained injuries as Indian military fired pellet guns to keep them from attending religious gatherings.

Pictures doing rounds on social media showed people lying in hospitals with severe wounds on the face and other body parts.

Pellets again.

Local residents try to remove pellet from head of a young man, who was hit by pellets fired by the government forces today during Muharram procession in Srinagar, #Kashmir.https://t.co/nJkcXoXZwl

— Fahad Shah (@pzfahad) August 30, 2020

The acts of brutality from Sunday were condemned by Pakistan.

In a statement, Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said that due to the illegal and indiscriminate use of pellets, dozens of Kashmiris were wounded and some had sustained eye injuries causing permanent blindness.

#Pakistan strongly condemns use of tear gas shells & firing of pellets on Muharram procession in #IIOJK.

Dozens of #Kashmiris seriously injured, including with eye injuries causing permanent blindness. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/rLqp9iL6Ka

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) August 30, 2020

Meanwhile, Indian media tried to defend the violence as journalists, including Gaurav C Sawant, took to Twitter and wrote, “If one breaks the law, one should be ready to face the full force of law enforcement agencies.”

Pellet guns have a range. Stay out of the range. Stay safe. Stone pelting is not a birth right. Nor is it an acceptable democratic form of protest. If one breaks the law, one should be ready to face the full force of law enforcement agencies. https://t.co/N0N79s0Q8s

— GAURAV C SAWANT (@gauravcsawant) August 29, 2020