NEW DELHI: In the backdrop of death of over 60 people in Kashmir, the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh on Thursday called for non-lethal methods to deal with public agitations and ordered establishment of a high-powered task force to make recommendations within three months on the issue.

“We need to revisit standard operating procedures and crowd control measures to deal with public agitations with non-lethal, yet effective and focused measures. We also cannot have an approach of one size fits all,” Dr Singh said.
Addressing the three-day Conference of Directors General and Inspectors General of Police here, the Prime Minister said he would ask the Home Minister, Mr P Chidambaram to establish a high-powered task force to come out with recommendations on non-lethal crowd control measures in the next two to three months.
Dr Singh said despite militant activities in the state being curtailed, the public order dimension has become a cause of serious concern. His comments came against the backdrop of security forces in Jammu and Kashmir facing flak for the killing of 63 civilians in police action to quell violent protesters since June this year.
He said that instead of single standard sequence for the use of force, other countries have put in place procedures that vary according to the situation. Citing the experience of Rapid Action Force for non-lethal crowd control which has been successful, he said it should be examined for being followed by other police forces also.
Noting that policing in the country has become increasingly complex over the years, he said, “Of late the growing presence of non-state actors, fundamentalist groups and left wing extremists has further complicated matters.”
Dr Singh said the growing inter-linkages of destabilising and criminal forces, across states and across our borders, call for far greater vigilance and coordination between the security agencies than ever before. The Prime Minister said after a relative lull in 2009, the challenges to country’s internal security seem to have re-emerged in more virulent forms.
“While we have made good progress in terms of recruitment and setting up of better institutional arrangements for intelligence, investigation, coastal security and counter-terrorism, the problems we face remain daunting,” he said. Underscoring the need for doing much more to meet the challenges posed by Naxalites, Dr Singh, however, expressed the Centre’s readiness to hold talks with them if they shun violence.