UP Police armoury to gain ₹83 crore firepower

LUCKNOW: The armoury of UP Police will be strengthened further as the state government has approved the purchase of huge cache of arms, ammunitions, and other auxiliary gadgets worth ₹83.77 crore, confirmed senior government officials on Tuesday.

They said the state police force will soon be equipped with combat shot guns, 9mm pistols, 5.56 mm rifle carbines, assault rifles, sub-machine guns, pump action guns, and advanced auxiliary gadgets such thermal weapon sight for sniper rifles, magazines for Glock 33 pistols and huge cache of ammunitions for practice as well as for field operations.

The officials confirmed that the state government issued 18 approvals on March 29, 30, and 31 to the police for the purchase. HT has accessed the approval orders that were uploaded on a government portal.

Additional director general (ADG)-Law and Order Amitabh Yash said the approvals will enhance the firepower of UP Police to counter gangsters, dreaded criminals and terror operations. He said most of the purchases would be made by the Special Task Force as it was specialised in handling arms and ammunitions.

The list included 20 combat shot guns worth ₹19.60 lakh, 3,000 9 mm pistols worth ₹8.37 crore, 4,000 5.56 mm rifle carbines worth ₹48.40 crore, 405 assault rifles worth ₹3.37 crore, 300 9 mm sub-machine guns worth ₹2.22 crore and 300 pump action guns worth ₹63 lakh. Additionally, 405 assault rifles worth ₹3.37 crores will be bought for the Special Security Force (SSF) that was formed on the lines of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) to guard airports and other industrial units in the state.

Moreover, several auxiliary accessories that will be bought include 50 Glock 33 pistol magazines worth over ₹3.18 lakh and three thermal weapon sights for sniper rifles worth ₹18 lakh.

Besides, 16 lakh 7.62 mm SLR ball cartridges worth ₹9.21 crore, three lakh 7.62mm ball cartridges worth ₹1.39 crore, 10 lakh AK-47 ball cartridges worth ₹4.5 crore, 4.4 lakh 5.56 mm ball cartridges worth Rs1.58 crore, 16 lakh 9X19 ball cartridges worth ₹3.99 crore, one lakh 5.56 mm blank cartridges worth ₹53.9 lakh, 1,01,253 cartridges of 0.38 bore revolver ball worth ₹83.02 lakh and 8,000 cartridges of 8.6X70 mm ball worth ₹39.12 lakh will also be bought