Kashmir, a laboratory to test crowd-control weapons -Governance Now

Kashmir, a laboratory to test crowd-control weapons

Stone pelters will now be served a cocktail of arsenal, right from chilli-filled shells to the plastic bullets

GN Bureau | April 18, 2017

#rubber bullets #plastic bullets #crowd control #weapons #stone pelters #Kashmir #PAVA shells #pellet guns

The volatile situation in the Valley has prompted the security forces to experiment with a variety of weapons. There are the PAVA shells packed with chilli, the rubber bullets that ricochet, the hugely damaging pellet guns and now plastic bullets.

The stone pelters, however, continue to be undeterred.

Here is the low-down on what the security forces have to control the situation in the Valley.

The PAVA shells, which is an acronym for Pelargonic Acid Vanillyl Amide, is an organic compound found in natural chilli pepper. It is is capable of incapacitating the targets for several minutes. It is completely odourless and does not damage clothes or skin.

The rubber bullets are rubber or rubber-coated projectiles that can be fired from either standard firearms or dedicated riot guns. They are intended to be a non-lethal alternative to metal projectiles. They are used in riot control.

Pellets guns cause injury to people. Many protesters have suffered serious eye injuries due to its use. They are effective over short ranges up to 500 yards. Pellets can penetrate soft tissues.

The government has now asked paramilitary forces to use plastic bullets instead of pellet guns in the Kashmir valley, reported news18.com

The plastic bullet is a comparatively less-lethal projectile fired from a specialised gun. They are generally used for riot control. Plastic bullets were invented in 1973 by the British security forces.

Read: Kashmir’s second stone age

Comments

Other News

How Rafi, Raj Kapoor helped pave the way for a great uranium deal

There`s a certain moment in diplomacy that`s too personal to be captured in a communiqué, too small to make the front page, but more revealing than the front page. This week, prime minister Narendra Modi reached Tashkent and, amid the pomp of state visits, managed to evoke the old Bollywood tunes

Distinguishing Fish 1 and Fish 2: The pragmatism behind India’s WTO ratification

India became the 123rd WTO member to ratify the multilateral Agreement on Fisheries subsidies (AoFS) when it deposited the Instrument of Acceptance for Phase 1 on July 20, 2026. The ratification is restricted to disciplining Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing (IUU), protection for overfished

The 7% growth problem: Why the next 7% will be harder

India has become accustomed to hearing the 7% growth number. It is now less a milestone than an expectation. Yet the paradox is becoming clearer: maintaining 7% growth may be considerably harder than achieving it once. India’s real GDP grew 7.7% in FY2025–26, following growth of 6.5% in FY202

The Constitution cannot be altered: Justice Abhay Oka

Justice Abhay Oka, who retired from the Supreme Court in May 2025, has said that the Constitution of India cannot be altered. Explaining the landmark Kesavananda Bharati judgment (1973) on the basic structure of the Constitution, he said, “This is one judgment that has saved democracy in India.&rdq

How the flora and fauna evolved in the Indian subcontinent

Mammals of India By A.J.T. Johnsingh and P.O. Nameer HarperCollins India in association with Bombay Natural History Society

India`s renewable race is moving beyond megawatts

When Shell bought Sprng Energy in 2022, India`s renewable energy market appeared to offer precisely what global energy majors were seeking: scale, growth and a place in one of the world`s largest energy transitions. Four years later, Shell is selling the same business to Aditya Birla Group for an enterpris