50,000 CRPF grenades recalled after 2 deaths, several complaints

The Central Reserve Police Force has recalled more than 50,000 anti-personnel grenades after malfunctions were reported in their fuse, causing them to explode in hands. At least two paramilitary jawans have died and several injured in the last one year. The jawans complained that the grenades were exploding before the standard four-second limit.

The deaths and the injuries prompted the CRPF to launch an internal inquiry and the Indian Ordnance Factories, which manufactured the grenades, was asked to take them back.

The grenades were supplied to the CRPF and other paramilitary forces like ITBP, SSB, CISF, BSF, Assam Rifles.

"We have recalled a lot of approximately 50,000 such grenades that were being used by our jawans. The usage of such grenades has been stopped," said Pranay Sahay, acting Director General of CRPF.

"After the fuse was pulled out, the grenades were were going off in two seconds. They exploded in hands. The Indian Ordnance Factories has been asked to look into the faults," an officer said.

The death of a CRPF jawan at a firing range in Punjab in September 2011 prompted the then DG, K Vijay Kumar, to initiate an inquiry. Days later, an ITBP jawan died at Belgaum in Karnataka and Vijay Kumar wrote to the DGs of other paramilitary forces.The ordnance factory was asked to look into the matter.

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