“They are children of conflict. Most of such children are from poor families, and on many occasion they have witnessed brutalities. Their reaction is genuine, even though they might not know whose hands they are playing into,” said Sheikh Mushtaq, a senior Srinagar-based journalist.
Security personnel, however, beg to differ.
“There are many cases when we have found out that children are not even aware as to why they are on the streets protesting,” said SJM Gillani, inspector general of police, Kashmir.
The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), which is often at the receiving end of the public’s ire, agrees. “These children also pelt stones. May be someone tells them to or they see others, but they do pelt stones and sticks sometimes,” said Ashish Kumar Jha, PRO of the CRPF, Kashmir.
But human rights activists allege that these children end up being treated as adults by security forces.
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