India's counter-terrorism force, the National Security Guards, has approached the Government for the use of non-lethal weapons in cases of hostage crisis. Impressed by the handling of the Moscow theatre seige last October by the Russian government, the NSG wants to add substances like Fentanyl and Halothane in their arsenal. The Russian government had used a mix of the substances to end the hostage crisis. While nearly 150 persons, including the Chechen rebel captors had died, more than 700 hostages were saved. Though the Russian government had faced considerable criticism, specially within the country for use of the substances, Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani was believed to have been impressed by the handling of the situation. He reportedly often compared the crisis to the hijacking of the Indian Airlines IC 814 to Kandahar. Hopeful of getting the go-ahead, the NSG, in its proposal to the Ministry of Home Affairs has stated that the government may consider the use of these substances as an effective weapon in its fight against terrorism. If cleared, the personnel would be sent for training to UK, which has devised special courses in non-lethal substances warfare. ‘‘The personnel would not only be trained in using the right mix of the substances but also taught about their antidote, and how to counter their effects,’’ said a senior government official. Fentanyl is a strong opium-based synthetic drug used as an anaesthetic. It is commonly combined with halothane in open-heart surgeries. These substances are commonly used in countries like the US as non-lethal crime-fighting weapons because of their ability to incapacitate suspects within seconds, and the ease with which an antidote — naltrexone — could reverse their effects. The Russian theatre seige was discussed in great detail, as a case study, in the ongoing international seminar on terrorism organised by the National Security Guards. ‘‘It was more than a simple academic exercise since we are very serious about using these substances ourselves. And the Government seems quite keen with its hardening stance against terrorism. The MHA had earlier also cleared a porposal of ‘‘no-negotiator’’ in hostage situations,’’ the official said.
