TBRL to showcase new non-lethal plastic bullets for controlling riots

Deepkamal Kaur

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, January 2

During the five-day Indian Science Congress at Lovely Professional University that begins on Thursday, the Terminal Ballistic Research Laboratory is all set to showcase its new product range that includes Riot Control Non-lethal Plastic Bullets.

Officials of the TBRL, laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation, say these bullets are much in demand by the Army which recently drew flak in J&K for using pellet guns that have blinded many. “The newly-developed plastic bullets have a deep groove on the piercing plastic side, which reduces its speed and intensity. These do not puncture the human body. The injury caused by them is only superficial and so no organ can be harmed,” said an official setting up the stall ahead of the exhibition.

Officials said since the lethality is far less, its use would not lead to any unnecessary criticism of the Army and the police. “The J&K Police and the Rajasthan Police have already taken these in their stock. It causes minor injury and oozing of blood, which leads to panic and is thus successful in dispersing the crowd. Thus it serves the purpose without causing any major physical harm to rioters.”

Another attraction at the DRDO exhibition is a Crowd Control Blazer, a vehicle mounted with equipment that uses laser beam to blind the crowd for 10 seconds or so. “The rioters can be targeted even from a distance of 1 km with the vehicle without causing any permanent harm to them. When they are blinded for the short duration, they become helpless and can even be arrested,” said the staff deployed with the vehicle. They said the vehicle was being deployed for the PM’s security. The Delhi Police have it and are using it as and when required, they said.

The exhibition also has on display Remotely Operated Breaching Devices used for breaching doors and walls of enemy’s structures. “All kinds of common urban barriers, including bunkers, a 6-inch wall etc, can be penetrated into using just about 1.5 kg of explosives. A wooden, aluminum or steel door can be breached using just 5 gm of explosive, that too through a remote control,” said a DRDO official.

Meanwhile, the Defence Institute of High Altitude Research has put up stalls on micro-farming technology and herbal sea buckthorn tea for medicinal use. The Aeronautical Development Establishment has put on display the use of Digital Flight Control Computer for Light Combat Aircrafts. The Defence Material and Stores Research and Development Establishment has put up survival blankets and other extreme weather clothing, besides suits and shoes for nuclear, biological and chemical warfare.

The models of missiles Brahmos, Prithvi, Nirbhay Supersonic Cruise Missile and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, including Tapas BH 201, Rustom-1 and Mini-Micro UAVs, and pilotless target aircraft Lakshya will also be on display.

The Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Indian Council for Medical Research, The Indian Council for Agricultural Research, Indian Space Research Organisation are also putting up their innovations on display.