Delhi Police commandos’ weapon of choice in the face of any adversary: Pepper spray

What’s the most effective weapon to use in emergency? For regular people, especially women, who want to protect themselves from mugging — or worse — the answer that springs to mind is pepper spray. Surprisingly, if you were to ask Delhi Police commandos, the answer would be the same.

The humble pepper spray is part of the security equipment and gadgets used by Delhi Police commandos who’re part of the Parakram vans. Each Delhi Police Parakram van has a five-member team: the driver; three commandos, of them two men and one woman; and an in-charge.

Commandos of Delhi Police Parakaram vans use pepper spray as it doesn’t violate human rights. (Shivam Saxena/ HT Photo )

The security kit of these commandos has around 10 weapons/gadgets, including a knife, a baton, and stun gun. “But the pepper spray is the most effective tool to combat any enemy,” says Awatar Singh, inspector in-charge of south zone Parakram vans. “With just one spray, the opponent feels very uncomfortable — the inflammation can even make a person fall unconscious for almost 30-35 minutes. The pepper spray’s biggest advantage is that it doesn’t lead to any human rights violations.”

This baton, part of the commandos’ security kit, weighs less than 650gm and is expandable. The glasses are photochromatic and can resist even 12-gauge shotgun shells. (Shivam Saxena/ HT Photo )

Other gadgets used by Delhi Police commandos:

Camera mounted on the body: It has a single start button, along with 150 degree rotation to capture a full round scene.

Baton: Threefold stick that can be retracted by a button.

Goggles: Each pair can resist even a 12-gauge shotgun shell and is photochromatic.

Knife: Pocket-sized, with a 4- to 5-inch blade.

Kikim Singson, who has recently joined Delhi Police as a commando, says, “Using a pepper spray is advantageous because it’s very light in weight, and so easy to carry. We can just keep it in our pockets. Its effective range is up to 20 feet, and we can use it without thinking twice.”

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