Chilli Spray To Help Women In Distress

Alarmed by the spurt in crimes against women, the defence research laboratory, a unit of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has developed a chilli spray that women can use to protect themselves against attackers and miscreants.

Responding to a question raised by Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha member Anil Desai and Congress' Rajani Patil, Defence Minister AK Antony said that the Tejpur-based defence research laboratory has successfully developed the spray, called Capsispray. "It contains oleoresin capsicum extracted from the world's hottest chilli, the Bhut Jolokia, largely cultivated in Assam and other parts of North-Eastern India," Antony said. 

The prototype of the spray is ready, Antony said, and the product is required to be tested for several toxicology parameters. The DRDO will take steps to popularise the product once the trials are over. 

Desai said that in view of increasing attacks on women, he had knocked at the doors of the defence ministry to press for a proposal for a non-lethal weapon that women could have for self-defence. In fact, last year, when the number of attacks against women went up, the Shiv Sena had distributed knives to them in Mumbai. "It was a symbolic gesture. Now that the defence research laboratory has developed the chilli spray, we expect the product to hit the market within six months. If there is delay, we will meet Antony to press for immediate availability of the product," Desai said. 

He said that from the information gathered by him, the chilli spray will act immediately but will not result in permanent damage to any part of the body of the accused. "We expect that once the spray hits the person, he will be immobilised for a while, so the woman can rescue herself," he said. 

According to a senior IPS officer, if the spray comes into the market in the next six months, it will help curb crimes against women. "No doubt every woman will have to buy it, but it will be worth it. The spray will be particularly useful if a woman is alone at home and a stranger forcibly enters," he said.