CRPF to experiment with tracking technology

The country’s largest paramilitary force, CRPF, is exploring technology that could potentially track and disable weapons looted in extremist-affected parts Jammu and Kashmir.

It has been reported that the extremists use the same automatic and semi-automatic rifles/guns like AK rifles, SLRs and revolvers that are used by the security forces in counter-insurgency and anti-Maoist activities.

Officials in the Indian Army have told The Times of India that CRPF is in touch with private companies which dealt with providing a type of technology which could implant GPS tracking/Biometric ID so that weapons snatched by extremists could be tracked and rendered useless.

Presently, some countries like the US use GPS technology in some of their weapons. However, several officials who spoke to TOI were skeptical of such an idea saying it is not so easy to bring this kind of technology to weapons.

This announcement comes when earlier in May, CRPF had said they will soon deploy a fresh squad of about 2,000 commandos from its special guerrilla warfare CoBRA battalions in and around the Sukma district of Chhattisgarh to defang the Maoists and their arsenal. Sukma and its adjoining areas have witnessed some of the deadliest ambushes on security forces recently, like the one where 25 CRPF men were killed in the Burkapal area of the district on 24 April.