More than 40,000 bulletproof jackets and 170 armoured troop carriers have been sanctioned for the Central Reserve Police Force by the Union Home Ministry. The jackets and carriers have been deployed for use in counter-insurgency operations in the Kashmir Valley and anti-Naxal offensives in various states, officials said to media.

They said the central paramilitary force has also “re-fabricated” and armour-plated about 80 Maruti Gypsy vehicles for protection against bullet shots, grenade attacks, and stone-pelting incidents in the Kashmir operations grid.

A senior official told PTI that the force has been sanctioned a total of 176 medium bullet-proof vehicles, each of which can seat 5-6 armed troops.

These vehicles can endure grenade attacks, gunshots aimed from a distance, and other fatal attacks. The protective gear will be distributed among the CRPF personnel deployed for counter-insurgency duties in Kashmir and the red corridor.

The government has also approved around 42,000 “light bulletproof jackets” as part of the Centre’s modernisation plan for the security forces.

These jackets would provide enhanced protection to sensitive body parts, including the neck and groin area, as the overall surface area of each vest is more than that of the older ones, they said.

The new jackets are 40 per cent lighter than the bullet-proof jackets in use at present, which weigh 7-8 kg.

The force, with about 3.25 lakh personnel, has deployed about 70 battalions in Kashmir, and 90 such units in other conflict regions. Each CRPF battalion has an operational strength of around 1,000 troops, as per the agency report.

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