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

Dharmendra Pradhan tenders resignation

Dharmendra Pradhan, education minister at the centre of the storm of the NEET paper leak, offered his resignation to the prime minister on Saturday. He posted a two-page letter on X, saying he was pained by the events of the last ten days. "This is not a matter of personal

Cabinet approves scheme of chemical parks

The union cabinet chaired by the PM has approved Bharat Audyogik Vikas Yojana Rasayan or BHAVYA - Rasayan Scheme for establishing three dedicated Chemical Parks in the country. The Scheme was announced in the Union Budget of FY 2026–27. The Scheme will have a total financ

Anurag Jain, IAS appointed as Chief Executive Officer, NITI Aayog

Anurag Jain, a 1989-batch IAS officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre, has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NITI Aayog for a two-year term after serving as the Chief Secretary of Madhya Pradesh. A distinguished administrator with extensive experience in infrastructure, industrial de

Shri Ashok Barnwal, IAS has been appointed as the Chief Secretary of Madhya Pradesh

Ashok Barnwal, a 1991-batch IAS officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre, has been appointed as the Chief Secretary of Madhya Pradesh, succeeding Anurag Jain following his appointment as CEO of NITI Aayog. Prior to assuming the state`s top bureaucratic position, Barnwal served as Additional Chief Secretar

PM announces fast-track courts for paper leak cases

Prime minister Narendra Modi on Thursday stated that the government has decided to set up fast-track courts to ensure swift and stringent punishment for those involved in paper leaks. Emphasising that nothing is more important than the welfare and future of the youth, he noted that h

Making India’s textile & apparel sector sustainable

India’s textile and apparel sector sits at the heart of the economy but is constrained by traditional manufacturing approach. It contributes close to 2% of GDP and around 11% of manufacturing gross value added, with GDP share expected to reach 5% by the end of the decade. The sector employs around 45