Nirbheek

Ordnance Factories Board Nirbheek

Nirbheek revolver & 6 bullets
Type Revolver
Place of origin India
Production history
Manufacturer Ordnance Factories Board
Unit cost INR 122,360.00[1]
Produced January 6, 2014
No. built 10 (sold as of January, 2014)
Specifications
Weight 525 g
Length 177.8 mm
Barrel length 76.2 mm
Cartridge .32 S&W (7.65×23mm)
Action Single action Revolver
Effective firing range 50 ft (15 m)
Feed system 6-shot Cylinder
Sights Front sight–blade, rear sight-‘U’

Nirbheek (lit. "fearless") is a 6-shot cylinder revolver designed & manufactured by the Ordnance Factories Organization in Kanpur, India.[2]

Description

The gun is black, lightweight and slim. It weighs 0.5 kg and it is said it could be carried in a purse or bag. The gun uses .32 caliber bullets with an effective fire range of 50 ft (15 m). It has a titanium-alloy body and wooden handle.[3] It is priced at Rs 1,22,360.00 (about USD $2,000). The gun's simple mechanism is thought to have been based on earlier designs by Webley & Scott and Smith & Wesson. The gun would be illegal to carry in public in India without a permit. These permits are almost impossible to obtain.[4]

The revolver is marketed as India's first gun for women and it is named after the name given to a 23-year-old woman who was gang raped in Delhi in December 16, 2012.[5][6] That victim later died due to her injuries. Both words, victim alias Nirbhaya & revolver name Nirbheek, mean "fearless" in Hindi language.

Criticism

Nirbheek created widespread criticism by women's groups and gun control advocates. They said that the revolver for women would be an insult to the memory of Nirbhaya, the victim, and it could not be the solution to violence against women.[7][8] One gun control advocacy group said that they saw the launch of this gun by a state owned factory as an admission of failure by the government. They said that women carrying guns are twelve times more likely to be shot by attackers compared to unarmed women.[4]

The factory's general manager said that the gun would increase women's confidence and deter attackers. Critics answered that not many women could afford the gun to defend themselves since it costs more than the average Indian's annual salary—only high- and middle-class women would be able to afford it. Since high- and middle-class women are not the most vulnerable (most of them use their own vehicle and do not need public transport), their having guns would not solve the problem. Additionally, carrying guns in public places in most of India is prohibited.[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "FIELD GUN FACTORY, KANPUR". Ordnance Factory Board, Ministry of Defence, Government of India. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Nirbheek, India's first gun for women". Times of India. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  3. 1 2 "Can a gun protect India's women from rape and violence?". The Guardian. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  4. 1 2 Nirbheek: India’s Anti-Rape Gun Draws Widespread Criticism, JT Quigley, TheDiplomat.com, retrieved 25 January 2014
  5. ↑ "A gun designed for Indian women". BBC. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Nirbheek Is India's First Revolver Designed For Women". Forbes. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  7. ↑ "India plans to sell a handgun designed for women". Public Radio International. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Nirbheek: India’s Anti-Rape Gun Draws Widespread Criticism". The Diplomat. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
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