Bullet proof equipment used by security forces being reviewed in J&K

Srinagar, June 21 (IANS) The security forces in Jammu and Kashmir are taking both immediate and long term remedial measures to counter the threat posed to deployed troops by militants' use of steel-coated armour piercing bullets.

"Many immediate and long term remedial measures are being taken to avert the threat to security forces in light of the recent and past use of steel-coated armour piercing bullets by the terrorists in the state.

"Immediate measures would include further reinforcement of protective shields used during counter insurgency operations. Long term measures would include upgrade and improvement in the bullet-proof equipment, including helmets and jackets used by the deployed troops," a senior security forces officer said.

An alert was recently sounded across various security agencies and the state police following an internal probe by the CRPF into the killing of five of its troops and an officer of the state police in a militant attack on K.P.Road in Anantnag town on June 12.

The probe findings revealed that the lone Fidayeen militant, a Pakistani national belonging to Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM), involved in the attack was able to inflict maximum damage because of the use of steel-coated bullets.

The rifle magazine of the slain militant contained 18 live steel-coated bullets even after he had used quite a few of them to target the CRPF troops and the state Police Station House Officer (SHO), Arshad Khan, sources said.

The CRPF probe also revealed that the JeM militants had used steel-coated bullets in 2017, but not during militant attacks carried out last year.

"While additional protective layers on bullet proof equipment used by the security forces is being put into practice, future remedial measures would depend on how quickly the present bullet proof equipment is phased out," said another informed source here.