The state and Central security forces will now use rubber bullets and other less lethal weapons against the Maoists to minimise casualties. Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), the PSU of the defence ministry, is providing the “pump action guns” to the security forces for this purpose.
OFB member (weapons, vehicles & equipment) Sudhir Kumar Beri informed this on Monday at a press conference during the Ordnance Factories Day celebrations. He explained the need of using less lethal weapons in the small arms category to counter the Left Wing Extremism (LWE) by state and Central paramilitary forces.
“In regard to the LWE requirement, the government is very sensitive about the kind of weapons that they would use against their own local population. So the emphasis is more on buying comparatively less lethal weapons like the pump action guns. They (government) are very keen that they don’t use more than necessary force against their own population,” Mr Beri said.
He added, “The pump action guns will essentially have rubber bullets which do not really debilitate the individual. We are enhancing the capacity for its production.”
Confirming of supplying them in Jammu and Kashmir, Mr Beri said: “For the LWE states, it could be a small number of states who project the requirement. Exact figure is not available but we have started supplying pump action guns to the West Bengal.”
OFB chairman and director general of Ordnance Factories Sashi Dhar Dimri described the demand of such small arms “phenomenal” and that it had doubled since 2010. A state police officer of inspector general rank, sent by the West Bengal government, recently visited the OFB for the “sudden” requirement of small arms.
Meanwhile, the OFB is manufacturing stronger mine protected vehicles (MPV) as its MPVs were damaged in powerful landmine explosions.