Indian police, special forces rely on nonlethal gear and tactics
When protests turn violent in India, police and special forces like the RAF rely on a mix of protective gear and non-lethal tactics to keep things under control while aiming to avoid serious harm.
Think riot helmets with visors, body armor that resists fire, gas guns, shields, and the classic lathis (batons).
Their first move is usually a warning; if that fails, water cannons spiked with chili spray may be used, only ramping up to things like tear gas or pepper grenades if needed.
Indian police use plastic pellets, LRAD
If crowds still won't budge, police might use anti-riot guns that shoot plastic pellets.
These are supposed to be aimed below the waist from a safe distance, but have sometimes caused injuries when misused.
One of the newer tools in their kit is the long-range acoustic device (LRAD), which blasts loud sound waves to break up gatherings.
All these steps show an effort to manage chaos without crossing into lethal force.