In February, three Army children moved the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) demanding protection of human rights for Army personnel when they were attacked by stone-pelters in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K).

The petition stated, “The Army has been deployed in J&K since the state machinery was incapable of handling the law and order situation. But the irony is that the very administration which the Army seeks to assist and support has failed to safeguard the human rights of the armed forces personnel.”

Now, responding to the petition, the Centre has told the NHRC that Mehbooba Mufti-led state government’s decision to withdraw first information reports (FIRs) against stone-pelters would demoralise security forces, as reported by The Times of India.

The Centre has also said that the move “may encourage the acts of militants to take help of civilians as their shield for terror activities".

"It is the duty of the state government to take strong action against stone-pelters and provocateurs to safeguard the human rights of members of the armed forces operating in Jammu & Kashmir,” the Centre has said in its reply.

The petition - filed by Preeti, Kajal and Prabhav, children of two Lt Colonels and a retired Naib Subedar - came after the state government decided to withdraw FIRs against some 10,000 people who had been booked for stone-pelting.

The petition urged for NHRC’s intervention and asked, “Do personnel of armed forces, facing grave and serious violations of human rights, not deserve the attention and empathy of the custodians of human rights?”