Skip to main content

MoD approves using pain inducing 'Sound Canons' for crowd control in Kashmir


Security personnel who often face off with stone-pelters and civilians during crucial anti-terror operations in Kashmir will no longer depend on pellet guns to disperse the human obstacles.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has approved the use of 'sound cannon', devices that can emit pain-inducing sound waves, on rampaging mobs in the Valley. The move follows criticism of pellet guns that have left several people with eye injuries.

Known as Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD), the sonic weapon was used for the first time in Pittsburgh, US, to control an agitated crowd during a G20 summit in 2009.

"It is much needed. During an encounter with terrorists, locals start pelting stones at the forces. LRAD will help us immediately disperse the crowd and also take terrorists off guard, giving a strategic edge to our forces in action," a senior IPS officer told DNA.

The use of LRAD has been criticised world over as the sound can cause pain in humans and permanently damage hearing. Official sources said the ministry is clear that the warning tone won't cross the human threshold of pain and that the forces should be able to control its intensity.

The ministry has directed the Central Armed Police Forces to start the process of procuring LRADs while stressing the need for development and manufacture of the 'sound cannons' in the country.

In an internal note, the government has said, "The manufacturers must mention the threshold impact of equipment output on human ears and have to have certification from Indian and medical organisations."

The ministry has sought detailed information about the equipment from the manufacturers. The note read, "Previous implementation of the subject project in other sectors may also be brought out to ascertain the credibility of the product."

Going by its experience with pellet guns, sources said the government has been careful about drawing unwanted attention in its mob management efforts in the restive Valley. It has also sought details about "normal threshold of pain for children" considering the use of kids as shields by protesters in Kashmir.

While security forces in the Valley have been using pellet shotguns to police protests since 2010, it has left scores of people injured. According to Amnesty International, pellet guns have so far killed 14 people in Kashmir.

Pellet guns are pump-action shotguns which fire a cluster of small, round, metal pellets with high velocity over a wide area. A pellet shotgun cartridge can contain up to 630 pellets. Once shot, the cartridge explodes and the pellets disperse in all directions, hitting everyone in their path. Pellet guns are, however, less lethal than bullets but can cause serious injuries, especially if they hit the eye.

TOO LARD
162 dB – Max continuous volume of sound cannon 
130 dB – Usual threshold of pain 
110 dB – Sutli bomb 
60 dB – Normal conversation


Source Link: 
http://www.defencenews.in/article/MoD-approves-using-pain-inducing-Sound-Canons-for-crowd-control-in-Kashmir-585436

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Top 10 Best Sainik Schools In India as per NDA Selection

In this article you will get to know about Best Sainik Schools in India, Best Sainik School of India and top 10 Sainik schools in India When India became independent, most of the officers in the defense at that time used to come from elite families. To rectify the regional and class imbalance amongst the Officer cadre of the India Military, V.K Krishna Menon came up with the idea of Sainik Schools. The idea was to prepare students for Entry in the NDA. In Sainik Schools, deserving students can get high-quality education irrespective of their income or class background. The mission of Sainik schools is to prepare the cadets academically, physically, and mentally to enter the portals of the NDA. Today there are 33 Sainik schools running and proposed for future covering all the states of the country. But it has always been a topic of discussion that which of these is the best Sainik School school in India. Why do children take admission in Sainik Schools?  So that they can become offi...

Indian Army is hiring! Latest notification released for various posts @ joinindianarmy.nic.in, apply now

 Indian Army Recruitment 2020: Candidates can check eligibility criteria, educational qualification, experience, selection criteria and other details here. Indian Army is hiring! Latest notification released for various posts @ joinindianarmy.nic.in, apply now indian Army Recruitment 2020: The Indian Army has opened the online applications for JAG 26 Entry, SSC Technician 56 and SSCW Technician 27 Entry April 2021. The online application for JAG-26 (APR 2021) (MEN & WOMEN) course will be open from today onwards.i.e. October 13, 2020 at 3 pm, while the online applications for SSC(TECH)-56 AND SSCW(TECH)-27 (APR 2021) courses will open from October 14 onwards. Interested candidates will be able to apply through online mode only at joinindianarmy.nic.in. Candidates can apply for Indian Army JAG-26 April 2021 from November 11. Here's the direct link of official notification. Vacancy Details JAG-26 (APR 2021) (MEN & WOMEN) - to be announced SSC(TECH)-56 - to be announced SSCW(TE...

Retirement Age of Troops in Army, Air Force & Navy Set to Increase, Says CDS General Rawat

Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat has said that the retirement age of jawans in the Army, airmen in the Indian Air Force (IAF) and sailors in the Navy will be extended as it could benefit nearly 15 lakh men of all three armed forces.  “We are soon bringing a policy to extend the service profile of the men (forces nomenclature for troops) and have an increased minimum retirement age,” said General Rawat in an exclusive interaction with The Tribune yesterday. On being asked if he was looking to cut down the manpower costs as rising salaries and pensions were taking away a large portion of the budget, General Rawat said, “I am looking at manpower costs. Why should a jawan serve for just 15 or 17 years, why cannot he serve for 30 years? We are losing trained manpower.”  Easing fears that this policy would change the age profile of the fighting force, he said that the frontline combatant could be young. “We have an Army Medical Corps, why can’t the nursing assistant serve ...