South Asia News
Indian forces to use chilli grenades
Jun 26, 2009, 10:30 GMT
New Delhi - Indian security forces are planning to use the world's hottest chilli powder in non-lethal hand grenades to control riots and in counter-insurgency operations, a news report said Friday.
Scientists in the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) were working on a project to use Bhut Jolokia, in the non-lethal hand grenades, the Kolkata-based Telegraph newspaper reported.
Defence scientist RB Srivastava, said the DRDO would use the chilli in different applications, including one to make hand-grenades that would act as an alternative to tear gas.
The authorities were also planning to coat fences of army bases near reserve forests with Bhut Jolokia to keep rogue elephants away.
Grown in the north-eastern state of Nagaland, Bhut Jolokia is about 1,000 times more spicy than the common chilli and twice as fiery as the Red Savina, a Mexican variety.
