India to consider alternatives to pellet gun use in Kashmir - minister

An Indian policeman stands guard during a curfew in Srinagar July 21, 2016. REUTERS/Danish Ismail

NEW DELHI/SRINAGAR, India (Reuters) - India plans to reconsider the use of pellet guns by security forces when controlling crowds, its interior minister said on Thursday, after widespread resort to the weapons caused multiple casualties and stirred public anger.

Interior Minister Rajnath Singh told lawmakers the government would set up a panel to look for an alternative to the pellet gun in response to questions about responses to a recent surge of violence in the Kashmir region.