'Nirbheek': Lightweight revolver for women's defence

KANPUR: Over a year after the brutal Delhi gangrape incident, the Indian Ordnance Factory here has come out with ' Nirbheek', a .32 bore light weight revolver designed especially for women to defend themselves from assault.

With its nomenclature inspired by ' Nirbhaya', the 500-g revolver is light and can be kept by women in their purses or handbags. The revolver, priced at Rs 1,22,360, will be made available from the last week of February from the Field Gun Factory here, General Manager of the factory, Abdul Hamid, said.

"After the gangrape incident, our researchers were working on a revolver which is very light and can be carried by women in their purses or small hand-bags. Generally, the weight of .32 bore revolver is 750 grammes, but Nirbheek only weighs 500 grammes," Hamid said.

The name of the revolver has been inspired by 'Nirbhaya' as a mark of tribute to the December 16 victim, he said. The factory is planning to invite a woman social activist for its launch ceremony.

Hamid said there have been ten bookings for the revolver till date, and they are receiving daily inquiries, mostly from women in this regard. The revolver, which will be delivered in a special ornamental box on a first-come-first-serve basis, he said. Made of titanium alloy, the revolver will also be sold to men, but the priority will be women, Hamid said.