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AP police deploy anti-land mine vehicle to fight Naxalites

Shireen in Hyderabad

The state police has deployed a land-mine proof vehicle as part of the ongoing operations against the Naxalites in Warangal district in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh.

According to reports reaching here, the special purpose vehicle, manufactured by the Ordnance Factory at Medak at a cost of Rs 4 million apiece, is being used for anti-extremist operations for the first time in the country.

The vehicle resembles an army tank sans the cannon.

It has been tested against land mine explosion and it withstood the impact well, the Warangal district police claimed on Wednesday. The explosion triggered to test the vehicle was of very high intensity but no danger was posed to the police personnel inside the vehicle. The bullet-proof body of the vehicle absorbed the explosion with minimum damage such as minor dents.

The vehicle, however, became immobile as a crater was formed under it by the impact of the blast.

Explaining the utility of the vehicle, the district police said that the vehicle also serves as a self-contained fortress for the personnel inside. They can open fire on the extremists through small holes. Between 12 to 15 personnel can be accommodated in the vehicle which travels at a speed of 50 to 60 km per hour on any normal track.

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