Amusing Article... :)

[cottage cheese]

Here's a fine example of very 'quailfied' babu and liberal press talk.

http://www.thestatesman.net/page.arcvie ... &id=192566

"Top guns for VIP security

Rajib Chatterjee
KOLKATA, Aug 4: Kolkata Police will purchase sophisticated firearms worth Rs 3 crore to strengthen the security of the state’s VIPs and conduct such risky operations as rescuing hostages and carrying out raids in terrorist-infested areas.

The city police’s additional police commissioner (IV), Mr Kuldeep Singh, said the firearms would be imported from Germany and other European countries and the police have applied for import licence to the authorities concerned.

The officer said 300 firearms, including lightweight Glock pistol, sniper rifle and MP V gun, will be purchased from foreign agencies. The city police, like their counterparts in other metropolitan cities of the country, is being modernised.

The officer said the sophisticated firearms would be used by the jawans of the city police’s Special Armed Force who would undergo special training on the use of firearms.
The city police expects that the firearms would be brought to the city within the next three months. The training session for the SAF jawans will begin after the firearms reach the city. A senior state home department official said the state government has decided to strengthen VIP security in the state, in view of growing subversive activities by militant outfits in the state.

Mr Singh said the Glock pistol, compared to other modern firearms, is small and easy to carry. The operation process for the pistol, which has nine bores, is simple. The city police officer said 100 Glock pistols will be purchased at Rs 1 crore. Hundred sniper rifles will be procured to keep the jawans of the city police’s special armed force ready to conduct raids in terrorist-infested areas.

The sniper rifle is used to strike a particular object from a certain distance without harming those near the target object. This type of firearms is used in such risky operations as rescuing hostages and kidnap victims. Each of these three firearms costs about Rs 1 lakh. The MP V gun is also used in risky operations.

When asked if the city faces a terror threat, Mr Singh said the police had not received any such information."


Nothing against the acquisition but the silly knowledgeable babu talk is amusing and at the same time heart breaking. The sub-moronic ramblings of a senior cop(For all practical purposes a Babu in khaki) and the musings of an equally ignorant press fop...what a smashing combination for a gem of an article!

They seem to have got the virtues of the Glock down to perfection.

...and 100 sniper rifles? Goodness what ever for? And of course they have the qualities of a Sniper Rifle in the back of their hands!

Also see what they have to say about the MP5...or rather MP V!!... wow! It's really really really used for risky operations?...didn't know that one ! I wonder what other guns are used for then.... range practice I suppose.

All this farting around just to protect the sorry arses of VIPs? What about civil security and the common man?

Of course, the babu's hit the jackpot with the closing line of the article....

[shahid]

Let them quote whatever they want to the press. Import of weapons for the Police Force needs Federal level clearance from Home Ministry.

A few misquotes and then misinterpretations.

If this was the case then why do Indian Ordinance factories make INSAS, small arms in .38 is under process now and the .223 rifle is coming soon.

Yes AK 47 rifles were imported from Romania at Rs. 8,000 each but there are many other personal benefits to politicians in importing arm and ammunition.

[cottage cheese]

Let them quote whatever they want to the press. Import of weapons for the Police Force needs Federal level clearance from Home Ministry.

A few misquotes and then misinterpretations.

If this was the case then why do Indian Ordinance factories make INSAS, small arms in .38 is under process now and the .223 rifle is coming soon.

Yes AK 47 rifles were imported from Romania at Rs. 8,000 each but there are many other personal benefits to politicians in importing arm and ammunition.

Well Shahid, whatever the process and procedure behind government arms procurement, the knowledge these buffoons betray is all too amusing and pretty annoying as well- These are the folks that are going to be trusted with advanced arms?

BTW if my memory serves me right the Romanian consignment of AKs (MPiKM/S clones to be precise) were actually procured as a single volume order at an absurd $65 a piece - At that point of time the exchange rate put it at about Rs.2000 a piece!

Current or at least recent AK procurement is from Bulgaria - Another dirty money operation if I should say. The Bulgarian AKs though pretty to look at seem to be generating quite a few end user complaints. I deduce the Rs.8000 mark is for these pieces.

Also note that these AK imports seem to speak volumes about our IOFB, since we have an AKM clone being made or marketed (check ofbindia.gov.in)... why aren't these considered for use? after all they are AK's. Something fishy.

[kanwar76]

100 Glocks for 1 crore thats 1 lakh for each pistol..

I have seen glocks for sale at $400-$600. Even if we consider one pistol at $1000.. wonder where rest half of the money going...

-Inder

[cottage cheese]

100 Glocks for 1 crore thats 1 lakh for each pistol..

I have seen glocks for sale at $400-$600. Even if we consider one pistol at $1000.. wonder where rest half of the money going...

-Inder

Either the jugheads are getting ripped by importers/agents or the officer just let in on a not so nice deal.

The State Police here imported Glocks for about Rs.35,000 each- that was last year!
Though MP5s were not available to us for some years (Some EU clause about member nations not selling arms to countries with colored Amnesty records) the import price available the last time I checked was Rs.48,000 each.

As for the sniper rifles, its reasonable import pricing. Only depends on which make. HK PSG-1's were offered for close to 4.8Lakhs a piece! MSG 90 not far behind. I don't know what the Steyr SSG69s (BSF inventory) cost though. The cheapest Sniper specific Rifle available was the Iszmash Dragunov SVD-N which was about Rs.1.2Lakhs the last time I checked. However.... I wonder why anybody would need so many Sniper Rifles... beats me.

[kanwar76]

One question.. When government departments inport arms Do they pay the duty also?

-Inder

[cottage cheese]

One question.. When government departments inport arms Do they pay the duty also?

-Inder

I'm not entirely sure, but if I remember correctly, they neededan exemption certificate or something from some blessed ministry or department(Probably Import Exports and Customs)... kind of silly red tape that the government likes to inflict on everyone including itself!

In the end, of course, the duty would be largely waived...just a whole lot of time wasted in needless formalities.