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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Indian police 'to use slingshots' against protesters | Indian police 'to use slingshots' against protesters |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Police in India's Haryana state say they will soon begin using slingshots to control violent protesters. | Police in India's Haryana state say they will soon begin using slingshots to control violent protesters. |
| Policemen are being trained to use the weapons, despite concerns over their safety for crowd control. | Policemen are being trained to use the weapons, despite concerns over their safety for crowd control. |
| Abhishek Jorwal, chief of police in Haryana's Jind district, told the BBC that the slingshots "were made after a lot of research and development". | Abhishek Jorwal, chief of police in Haryana's Jind district, told the BBC that the slingshots "were made after a lot of research and development". |
| The "specially-designed" slingshots would be in addition to batons, tear gas and other weapons currently in use. | The "specially-designed" slingshots would be in addition to batons, tear gas and other weapons currently in use. |
| Mr Jorwal said the "idea is to avoid the use of lethal weapons against the protesters". | Mr Jorwal said the "idea is to avoid the use of lethal weapons against the protesters". |
| "Officers have been instructed to use slingshots and tear gas shells, and keep guns and bullets as the last option." | "Officers have been instructed to use slingshots and tear gas shells, and keep guns and bullets as the last option." |
| 'Chilli bags' | 'Chilli bags' |
| Marbles and chilli balls, packed in small bags carried by the policemen, will be used as ammunition for the slingshots. | Marbles and chilli balls, packed in small bags carried by the policemen, will be used as ammunition for the slingshots. |
| "Marbles and chilli balls won't cause any permanent damage but will pack enough punch to push protesters back," he said. | "Marbles and chilli balls won't cause any permanent damage but will pack enough punch to push protesters back," he said. |
| Handmade weapons, such as slingshots, are rarely used as a weapon by security forces in India. | Handmade weapons, such as slingshots, are rarely used as a weapon by security forces in India. |
| But the use of non-lethal weapons, such as pellet guns, in trouble-hit areas such as disputed Kashmir has resulted in serious injuries to protesters and bystanders. | But the use of non-lethal weapons, such as pellet guns, in trouble-hit areas such as disputed Kashmir has resulted in serious injuries to protesters and bystanders. |
| Correspondents say there are concerns marbles and other objects fired from police catapults could also badly injure civilians. |