8/26/2016

Print:PelletgunsvsPAVAshells:Saveinnocentindividualsbutdontcompromisesafetyofforces

PelletgunsvsPAVAshells:Saveinnocentindividualsbutdont
compromisesafetyofforces
byAug26,2016
#BurhanWani#CentralArmedPoliceForces#Crowdcontrol#InMyOpinion#nonlethalweapons#PAVAshells
#PelargonicAcidVanillylAmide#pelletguns#Skunk#stungrenades#teargas
EmailPrintShare

Share

Comments

Governmentappearsallsettobantheuseofpelletgunsinthecomingdays.HomeMinisterRajnathSinghhas
alreadyannouncedthegovernment'sintentontheissue.
"In2010,itwassaidpelletgunisanonlethalweaponwhichcancauseleastdamagebutnowwefeelthere
shouldbesomealternatetothis,"hesaid.

]
youthsduringaclashinSrinagaronThursday.PTI

Securityjawanschashingawaystonethrowing

Aspermediareports,asevenmemberexpertpanel,comprisingofficersfromMinistryofHomeAffairs,Border
SecurityForce,CentralReservePoliceForce,JammuandKashmirPolice,IITDelhiandtheOrdnanceFactory
BoardareexploringwhetherPAVAshells,achilibasednonlethalmunitionwhichtemporarilyincapacitatesthe
targetsandrendersthemimmobilecanreplacethepelletguns.Theseshellshavereportedlybeendevelopedby
theIndianInstituteofToxicologyResearch(IITR),LucknowundertheCISR,andademonstrationofPAVA
shellsataCISFrangewasreportedlyheldearlierthisweek.
PAVAcanbeexpandedtoPelargonicAcidVanillylAmide(alsocalledNonivamide),anorganiccompound
foundinnaturalchilipepper.Whenfired,PAVAshellsburstandtemporarilystun,immobiliseandparalysethe
targetinamoreeffectivewaythanateargasshellorpeppersprays,andalsocanbeusedincombinationwith
stunandtearshells.Otheralternativesdiscussedbythepanelincluded:stungrenades'alreadyinusewhich
causetemporaryblindnessbecauseoftheflashwhenexplodeddyemarkergrenadewithirritant'causing
sensorytroubletothetargetandleavesdyemarkonindividualforeasyidentification,andtearsmokeshell
http://www.firstpost.com/printpage.php?idno=2978146&sr_no=0

1/2

8/26/2016

Print:PelletgunsvsPAVAshells:Saveinnocentindividualsbutdontcompromisesafetyofforces

withsoftnose'whichdoesnotgiveseriousinjurywhenhitdirectly.Theexpertpanel,asperreports,appearsin
favourofPAVAshells,andhasrecommendedthattheTearSmokeUnit(TSU)oftheBSFinGwaliorbetasked
withbulkproductionoftheseshells.Thefinaldecisionis,however,yettobetaken.
Nonlethalweapons(NLW)likepelletgunsareusedbypoliceandCentralarmedpoliceforces(CAPF),notby
theArmywhouserealbulletsonly.Watercanonhasalsobeeninuseinthecountrybutrequiresbigvehicles
whichcannotbedeployedeverywhereinJammuandKashmir.SoitisforthepoliceandtheCAPFtodecide
whatshouldreplacethepelletgun.IfitistobethePAVAshells,thedeterminantsshouldbe:whattheisthe
maximumrangeitcanbefiredwhatistheefficacyofthechilipowderinanopenareainwindyandcalm
conditionshowmanyshellswouldneedtobefiredtocontrolabigormediumsizedcrowdwhatwouldbethe
effectonsecuritypersonneliftheyareincloseproximitytotheattackersespeciallyifthewindisblowinginthe
directionofthesecuritypersonnelwhatmeasurescantheattackingindividualorcrowdcantakebywayof
covering/shadinghis/hereyestonegate/reducetheeffectofPAVAwillthesecurityforcesneedtoadoptsimilar
measures,andwhatisthestoppingpowerofPAVAvisvispelletgunagainstafrenziedcrowd?
Itisreiteratedthatallthesemustbeexaminedinrelationtothestoppingpowerofthepelletgunwhichis
directlycomparedtothePAVA,whichmaynotstoptheattackers,especiallyabiggercrowd.Thisisessentialfor
thesafetyofthesecuritypersonnelandnottofacilitatecrowdsgettingintohandtohandscuffletosnatchthe
weaponsofsecuritypersonnelandcausethembodyharm.Asforstungrenades,thesearemoreeffectivein
closedareas(likeotherNLWgrenades)andwhendark.
Othercountrieshavebeenusingteargas'effectivelyforcrowdcontroldespitethisfallingunderpurviewofthe
ChemicalWeaponsConventionof1993.Itisdoubtfulifourgovernmentwilluseit,whichisindicatedbythe
factthattheexpertpaneldoesn'tappeartohaveconsidereditinthefirstplace.Butitissurprisingthatweare
notconsideringSkunk'inusebyIsraelforeffectivecrowdcontrolpasteightyears.

Skunk'spraysaliquidthatproducesterriblestenchwhichtakesdaystowashofffromthepartsofbodyand
clothingtheliquidfallson.WithoursecuritycooperationandtieswithIsrael,itshouldbepossibletoacquirea
coupleoftheseofftheshelfstraightaway.ItmayberecalledthattheCRPFhadtoldtheJammuandKashmir
HighCourtrecentlythatbanningpelletgunscancausemorefatalitiesifpersonnelareforcedtofireliverounds
inextremesituationswhenattackedinlargenumbers.
Pelletgunshavebeeninuseworldoversincetheairgunsarrivedonthescene.Thenyoualsohavewooden
bulletsandrubberbulletsaswell.Whathasnotbeentakenintoconsiderationatallbythepolicymakersisthat
pelletgunswerewithJammuandKashmirPoliceandCAPFpastfewyearsandwereeffectivelyusedanumber
oftimesmuchbeforethekillingofBurhanWani.Thistimepelletinjuriesaremorebecausetheattacking
crowdshavebeenbigger,moreinnumbersandmoreviolent.
IfPeople'sDemocraticPartyleaderMuzaffarHussainBaigsaysthatthesituationinKashmirValleyisonthe
vergeofjoiningtheglobalreligiouswar,itiscertainlyawellplannedstrategyfromacrosstheborder.The
challengetodayinKashmirValleyincludestodealwithnotonlythemisguidedbutalsowhoarepushingthings
covertly.Moreimportantly,theCentrewoulddowelltoexaminethatwhilePakistanisusingaerialandartillery
bombardmentonitspopulationperiodically,ithasforcedIndiatogoforbanningpelletgunsthroughwell
orchestratedinformationwarfare.
Whateverdecisionthegovernmenttakes,puttingourpoliceandCAPFatdisadvantagewouldonlyaggravatethe
situation.OncePAVAisintroduced,governmentshouldalsobepreparedforthenextphaseofinformationwar
floodingmediawithhowchilipowderisdamagingeyesandeyesightoftheinnocent'individuals.
TheauthorisaveteranLtGenoftheIndianArmy.

http://www.firstpost.com/printpage.php?idno=2978146&sr_no=0

2/2