Mumbai, September 29: Police dept to shoot plastic bullets at mobs on verdict day; Force One commandos, RAF and SRPF have also been mobilised for riot control
In a move to control mobs in case of riots after the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit verdict tomorrow, Mumbai police for the first time will use plastic bullets at the rioters.
The city police has procured nearly two lakh plastic bullets for its use, if such a law and order situation were to arise. Officials said that the plastic bullets, unlike the more lethal bullets, would not be fatal and only immobilise the victim for a few hours. These bullets can be fired through SLR, Carbines and AK 47 assault rifles.
However, these bullets can be fatal if fired from close range. “In fact, plastic bullets can cause serious injuries even if fired from long range. The only difference is that the kinetic energy of plastic bullets is less because of the material it is made of,” informed a Crime Branch officer.
When a normal bullet hits a victim, it tumbles and pitches through vital organs before making an exit. It leaves a huge exit wound, often causing heavy bleeding which results in death. And while plastic bullets can also cause severe bruises due to the impact of the ricochet, the lack of metal slugs causes less damage to the organs, officials pointed out.
A senior police officer confirmed that the bullets have been distributed to police stations across the city. The new bullets, which were manufactured by the government-run Indian Ordnance Factory, have also been used by the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), police sources informed.
Meanwhile, the police are reportedly expecting to make over 10,000 arrests under Section 151 and 151 (3) (continuing in assembly after it has been commanded to disperse) of the IPC.
In readiness
As part of its substantial preparation for tomorrow, police stations have been instructed to comb the areas under their jurisdiction in armed groups of 10 policemen. This is to prevent being mobbed by large crowds. Night patrolling has been intensified and nakabandis have been ordered.
Already, a few thousand cars and two-wheelers have been stopped in the past few days to nab suspects with dubious backgrounds. Combat vehicles have been mobilised along with Force One commandos and Beat Marshals who will be deployed at strategic locations.
The state government has beefed up security further by including 20 battalions of RAF, State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) and reserves from the local arms.
Meanwhile, the top brass of Mumbai police has expressed satisfaction at the elaborate preventive measures and deployment, a fact confirmed by Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order), Rajnish Seth.
———Agencies