Police, CRPF learning to handle ‘non-lethal’ weapons

Guns that fire pellets to stun not kill, pepper guns and non-lethal grenades that give out smoke and colours
to split mobs -- the paramilitary forces and the state police are learning ways to control stone-pelting protestors in Jammu and Kashmir without collateral damage.
"Courses spread over seven days are being held here regularly these days for batches of police and CRPF men deployed on law and order duties," said a senior police officer supervising the training programme at Zeewan police complex on the outskirts of Srinagar.

He said the seven-days mock drill is given to troops, wherein          they are trained in the use of non-lethal weapons to control the riotous mobs.
The protests rocked Valley last summer in which over 110 persons were killed in police and CRPF action. Police and CRPF men were accused by experts of using excessive force to quell demonstrations.
"Pump-action Guns (PAGs), 12-ball pepper guns, riot control guns with two-in-one short-range and long-range stun shells are used for non-lethal control of riots," the official said.
“PAGs fire pellets that stun a person temporarily and pepper guns shoot pepper pellets. Specially designed oleographilic hand grenades invented by DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) are also employed for controlling mobs," he said adding these hand grenades use smoke, colour and stun action to split and break the mobs without causing any injury to the rioters.
During the training, police and CRPF men also double up as protestors. One group was enacting slogan shouting mobs while others try to split them up without using excessive force.
"Batches of trainees are divided into two groups of rioters and the riot controllers during these drills," the officer said.
He said the training schedules includes case studies of previous year's law and order situations faced by the security forces. “Artificial targets are ensured to ensure pin-point precision during use of these weapons,” he said.
"The mentality of the agitated mob has to be countered by cool, passionate, precision handling of the situation. The advantage during riot control lies with the security forces because of their high levels of training. We employ security men in ring formation, bee-formation, arrowhead formation and the like to break up and split the mobs," the officer said.
Hundreds of security personnel and policemen will be trained to use these weapons in the coming weeks. Police and CRPF men are on high alert in the Valley as reports warn of renewed protests in the summer.

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