A common weapon used by soldiers in armies across the world, the rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) is in the limelight after it was fired at the highly secure building of the intelligence wing of the Punjab Police. The state is on high alert after the incident that took place on Monday evening and shattered windowpanes of the third floor of the building. The grenade, however, landed inside the building but did not explode.
Chief minister Bhagwant Mann has promised strictest punishment for the perpetrators, while the Punjab Police has said it has leads and will solve the case soon.
What is an RPG?
An RPG, or a rocket-propelled grenade, is a shoulder-fired missile weapon. Its biggest advantage is that it can be carried by an individual soldier and is frequently used by personnel guarding high-security buildings or facilities. The easy-to-use and high-impact weapon is preferred by insurgents and terrorist groups looking to create a panic situation.
Loaded from the front, the warheads are affixed to a rocket motor that propels the grenade towards the target. Made in the Soviet era, these are considered anti-tank weapons and are effective against lightly armoured vehicles.
How did the RPG come about, its types
During the World War 1, there arose a need for shielded defence due to trench warfare. This led to experiments with anti-tank rifles that used armour-piercing ammunition. The Germans were the first to create upgraded version of such rifles but these were effective only on light tanks.
Later, during World War 2, anti-tank weapons started making an appearance and became common in most armies. The truest version of modern anti-tank RPGs was developed in the 1930s. Due to its portable nature and effective functioning, the RPG is a part of contemporary warfare across the globe.
There are many versions of the RPG used in tactical as well as guerilla warfare. But the most commonly used is the Soviet-developed RPG-7. It is the most widely distributed and recognisable RPG similar to the American bazooka.
According to top sources, however, attackers who tried to blow up the Punjab intelligence headquarters in Mohali used an RPG-22 as assessed from the ammunition head.
The RPG-22 is nicknamed ‘Netto’ and is a one-shot disposable Soviet anti-tank rocket launcher that propels a 72.5 mm fin-stabilised projectile that can be prepared to fire in around 10 seconds, and can penetrate 400 mm of armour, 1.2 metres of brick or 1 metre of reinforced concrete.
What is the Punjab Police saying about the weapon?
Director general of police VK Bhawra after a meeting with senior officials said the explosive used in the suspected RPG seems to be TNT (trinitrotoluene).
The RPG was fired at the third floor of the highly-guarded building in Mohali’s Sector 77 on Monday night and the explosion shattered window panes. No one was injured in the incident. “There was nobody in the room when this incident occurred. The impact was on the wall,” the DGP said.
(With PTI inputs)
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