UP Police earmarks Rs 20 cr for crowd control weapons

"Rs 20 crore has been earmarked for purchasing non-lethal weapons, like chilli bomb, so as to ensure that minimum physical harm is inflicted on protesters and others," Principal Secretary Home, RM Srivastava told newspersons.

Earlier, the concentration was on lethal weapons but now it has been decided that the funds meant for police modernisation would be spent on non-lethal weapons which would be handy while being used on protesters in maintaining law and order, Principal Secretary Home, R M Srivastava, told newspersons here that

Several states are already using these weapons and they are also being made in the country, he said.

Besides, the principal secretary said it was decided to identify another place for constructing district jail in Kanpur having a capacity of 5,000 while the existing jail premises would be handed over to the Kanpur Development authority for its use.

The decision to this effect was taken at a meeting with the chief secretary of the state yesterday, Srivasatava said adding that construction on Jajmau fire station would also start this year itself.

A state of the art control room would also be set up in Kanpur and buildings of three police stations would be constructed, he said.

Talking to newspersons, the Director General of Police, AC Sharma, said that an order of 1,000 machine pistols-5 was placed earlier and they might be received soon.

Under the modernisation plan worth Rs 220 crores, 50 per cent of which is to be spent on buildings and the remaining on modernisation, 200 thanas would be provided one extra vehicle each and 405 chowkis would get one mobike each.

Besdies, the respective police chiefs have been asked to sent proposals for new thanas in keeping with rising population or upgrading the chowkis as per their requirements, the DGP said.

To a question on the minister for health and family welfare Ahmed Hasan expressing threat to his life, Srivasatava said that if it was so the matter would be taken seriously.