Hyderabad: Post August 5 — the day the Centre abrogated (or as some will have it, de-operationalised) Article 370, and bifurcated the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union territories — the country’s paramilitary forces appear to be on a shopping spree.
With heightened threats to their campuses not only in J&K but elsewhere, the ministry of home affairs (MHA) has fast-tracked the process of acquiring latest state-of-the-art gadgets and equipment to fully secure the campuses belonging to the paramilitary forces.
From mini Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to the latest Intrusion Detection Systems, hydraulic tyre killers, non-crash rated boom barriers to detect forced intrusions, automated licence plate recognition systems, bollards, road blockers — the list is long.
Sources in the security establishment told Deccan Chronicle that ever since the Centre made Article 370 inoperative, instructions have been issued by the Union Home Minister to fast-track the purchases of all the latest gadgets and equipment to secure the major campuses which house the officers, men and their families.
The decision to fast-track the purchases was taken in anticipation of the threat that would emerge from terror groups who will repeatedly try to strike at the forces.
Over the last several days, multiple alerts have been issued to the paramilitary forces — particularly the Border Security Force (BSF) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) — what with both agencies playing a crucial role in maintaining peace in J&K. While the BSF guards the International Border, CRPF is deployed all across the Kashmir valley to tackle law and order problems besides taking up anti-terror operations.
Over the last one month, several groups of technical experts on surveillance equipment, which has been constituted by the MHA, have held meetings to finalise the new and latest equipment required to foil the nefarious designs of the terrorists.
Among the latest gadgets to be acquired shortly are the mini UAVs with a range of 15 kilometres and loiter rime of 60 minutes at target with maximum payload up to launch altitude of 1,000 metres above sea level. The mini UAVs, whose weight will be less than 35 kg will have day and night cameras and will be capable of storing 100 or more flight routes with each route having capacity to configure minimum 70 way points.
Similarly, latest intrusion detection systems for safeguarding border areas or security of a campus of paramilitary force is also being acquired. The acoustic sensors in the system are useful for detecting tunnelling activity under the ground. There are various technologies available and already quite a few firms have come forward and given a demonstration.
To prevent terrorists from storming into the campuses on a four-wheeler, state-of-the-art tyre killers will soon be installed at the entry points of the campuses. “The spikes are being designed in such a way as to ensure that tyres of intruding vehicles, irrespective of the direction of the approach, will be disabled. It has already been tested in one of the locations wherein the four radial tyres of an intruding SUV were punctured instantly,” sources explained.
Besides, more under-vehicle-scanning systems, automated licence plate recognition systems, passive night telescopic sight for 5.56 mm INSAS rifles and other weapons is also being purchased.
“The Army and Air Force bases already have most of these latest gadgets and equipment in place and the paramilitary forces were lagging behind. But not any more,” sources added.
