In place of pellet guns, chilli-based ‘PAVA shells’ likely

Tribune News Service

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New Delhi, August 25

The Centre’s expert committee, tasked with finding a replacement to the pellet gun, is learnt to have agreed on newly developed “PAVA shells”, a chilli-based less-lethal munition that temporarily incapacitates the target and renders it immobile. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today indicated in Srinagar that security agencies will get an “alternative” to the pellet gun “within a few days”.

The pellet gun, used extensively in quelling the “stone throwing” violent protests at several places in the Valley, had come in for severe criticism as they caused extensive injuries among protesters. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had constituted the committee to find an alternative.

The Home Minister, while addressing a joint press conference with J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti in Srinagar today, said the seven-member panel, comprising officials from various security forces and munitions experts, will submit its report soon and “within few days, we will give an alternative to pellet guns”.

Sources said the committee held a demonstration of the maiden shells at a test field in the national capital early this week and gave its thumbs up for use by security forces in crowd control and during protests like those witnessed in the Valley.

An official privy to a draft prepared for the purpose said: “The PAVA shells were under testing for over a year at the Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, a Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) laboratory, in Lucknow and its full development has come right on time when it was most needed.”

Sources said the panel favoured “PAVA shells” as an alternative to pellet guns and had recommended that the Tear Smoke Unit (TSU) of the BSF in Gwalior should be tasked with the bulk production of the shells “immediately”, with the first lot of 50,000 rounds.

“PAVA” or Pelargonic Acid Vanillylamide, also called Nonivamide, is an organic compound found in natural chilli pepper.

“PAVA” can be put in the less-lethal munitions category and once fired, the shells burst out to temporarily stun, immobilise and paralyse the target (protesters) in a more effective way than a teargas shell or pepper spray.