Haryana has decided to replace the lathi used by its policemen with the baton. The men in khaki will now wield a sleek, plastic version of the six-foot-long lathi, popularly known as lath here. Besides, the anti-riot gear is being modernised to tackle emergencies better. All this is part of the modernisation drive initiated three years ago aimed at transforming and equipping police with gadgets available in the market. The police have so far spent Rs 153.75 crore on the modernisation drive but are non-committal on how many more crore would be spent in the entire process. C.P. Bansal, ADGP (Modernisation), told The Indian Express that the process had been initiated and its completion would largely depend on availability of funds. ‘‘Sometimes, bulk orders take time. We are distributing the material as and when we get it. The process will be expedited soon,’’ he said.
