Russian, African, Israeli arms favourite of Indian militants

Russian AK series rifles, South African Under Barrel Grenade Launchers and Israeli snipers seem to be the favourites of militants as a large number of them have been seized by the CRPF in recent past in different parts of the country.

The Central Reserve Police Force in its operations against Naxals and militants has seized 1,714 arms, which include Belgium-made gas and sten gun, China-made pistols, US- made SMG Thomson, MIUS and .22 rifles, from various parts of the country, Home Ministry sources said.

In the current financial year, the force has recovered the maximum number of arms (1,040) from Naxal-hit Orissa.

Various Naxal 'dalams' (units) are using lethal foreign arms including US-made SMG Thomson guns, AK-47 rifles and a number of Russian and Chinese rifles and pistols.

The CRPF has recovered and seized 71 AK-47, 18 AK-56 and 87 Chinese revolvers from Jammu and Kashmir in 2007-08.

Similarly, 113 foreign made weapons have been recovered from Assam.

"Terrorists of Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh are also using foreign-made weapons but in limited numbers," a source said.

The force has also found local-made arms like Bharmar guns, bomb projectors, pipe guns, country-made mortar, revolver, improvised and local pistols which are being used in Chhattisgarh.

In other Naxal-hit states like West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, the Maoists use country made weapons and in Bihar, Anadhra Pradesh and Jharkhand they use foreign and local-made arms, sources said.