Forensic Lab confirms militants possess armour-piercing bullets

Six months ago, a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp had been attacked in Lethpora, Pulwama, by members of the Jaish-e-Muhammad militant outfit. In the assault four of the CRPF men died. On examining the bodies of their colleagues, a few officials noticed something that didn’t look familiar: bullets fired by the militants had pierced a shield made of iron and gone on to kill a trooper.

Several of the bullet cases found scattered around in the Lethpora camp were sent to the Chandigarh Forensic Science Laboratory for a test. The conclusion of the examination has confirmed what many in the security establishment already knew: that militants fighting the government forces in the Kashmir valley are in possession of these armour-piercing bullets.

   

“We are aware of the preliminary findings of the forensic experts. These bullets are fired from normal AK-47 assault rifles,” a top CRPF official who didn’t want to be named told Greater Kashmir. The officer said that the bullets being used by the Jaish militants in Kashmir are “steel quoted and look like normal bullets.”

“These bullets have a capacity to pierce through bullet proof shields and there is no denying to this fact,” the officer said. In the Lethpora attack four CRPF men were killed and one was killed after being hit by the “steel-coated bullet.” He was identified as Rajinder Kumar Nain.

The slain CRPF trooper, who was killed by the steel-coated bullet, was holding an iron shield in his hand and the bullet pierced through it and hit his chest resulting in his death. In the same encounter, CRPF men lost their key counter insurgent R K Panda and he too was believed to have sustained fatal injuries due to steel coated bullets.

The CRPF officials, however, claim that Lethpora wasn’t the first case in which the Jaish militants had used the steel-coated bullets. “Before Lethpora, same bullets were used in district police lines (DPL) Pulwama attack, also carried out by the Jaish,” said a CRPF official.

Almost after six months, CRPF is waiting for the final report of the forensic laboratory of Chandigarh to take “safety and precautionary measures.” “It won’t be feasible to divulge about the measures we have taken and reasons are obvious,” said inspector general of police, (Central Kashmir sector) CRPF Ravideep Sahi.

However, a source in the CRPF said: “One of the suggestions was to increase one more layer in the bullet proof shields worn by our men. But majority of the troops opposed it saying they were already feeling overloaded given the load they carry in the form of weapon, magazines, bullet proof jacket and the helmet,” the source said. He said, however, modifying the existing bullet proof jackets and wearing bullet proof helmets is on cards.

“The ministry of home affairs has already agreed to provide CRPF men with the bullet proof hi-tech head helmets. Enhancing the bullet proofing capacity of jackets is also being worked out,” he said.

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