57,500 AK rifles to target Naxals
In a major revamp of police forces to counter terrorism and insurgency, the government, in one of the biggest such orders, is purchasing 57,500 AK series weapons at a cost of 340 euros per weapon from a Bulgarian manufacturer of firearms and military equipment.
The move is significant in view of criticism that state police forces are ill-equipped following the 26/11 terror attack in Mumbai.
States like Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra are likely to be the biggest beneficiaries of the government’s move to modernise and equip the state police forces with the latest weaponary.
The Assam police’s strength to counter insurgent groups is expected to get a boost with 3,300 modern assault weapons followed by Naxal-hit states like Bihar getting 2,090 weapons, Chhattisgarh 2,000 and Maharashtra, which will get 1,730 new AK series weapons. The home ministry, in a letter dated January 13, has asked all state police chiefs to spell out further requirements.
The condition of the Indian police force had drawn global attention after 26/11. The United States’ FBI noted before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security that the reason for the Lashkar-e-Tayyaba’s success in inflicting injuries during the Mumbai attack was primarily because the local police failed to engage them. The FBI attributed this failure to obsolete weapons provided to the local police and lack of training in counter-terrorism. The need for upgradation of arms and filling up of vacancies in state police forces is expected to raised during the meeting of chief ministers of all states convened by the home ministry on February 1. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will inaugurate the meeting. While the government has initiated steps to equip the local police with latest weaponary and state-of-the-art equipment , an MHA official said there is a urgent need for states to fill vacancies to meet a shortage of a staggering eight lakh police personnel in the country.
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