‘For every bullet aggressor fires, defence forces may retaliate with 20 bullets’

Highlighting the fact that the security apparatus will not take lightly any threat to the country’s sovereignty, the Centre told the Supreme Court on Thursday that for every bullet an aggressor fires, the defence forces might retaliate with 20 bullets to cut him down.

“This is in defence of the country. For every bullet he fires, we might retaliate with 20,” Attorney-General Mukul Rohatgi said for the government and objected to charges of ‘fake’ encounter killings by security forces in the disturbed areas of Manipur under the shield of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act.

Mr. Rohatgi told a Bench of Justices M.B. Lokur and U.U. Lalit that these were Army operations against extremists threatening the peace of country.

“Our first option is to apprehend. We ask him to stop. If he refuses and runs away, we give him chase. If he opens fire at us, we retaliate,” Mr. Rohatgi explained the rules of combat while the Army engages with the “enemy.” “It is an Army operation ... it is a situation akin to war,” Mr. Rohatgi submitted.

The Bench scheduled further hearing for December 8.