By Nityanand Shukla, IANS,
Ranchi : Tough theft-proof rifle racks manufactured by a Ranchi firm are widely used by security forces across the country, including at Rashtrapati Bhavan, and even by the Nepal Army.
The racks made by Kaypee Company are supplied to airports, the Border Security Force, Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), National Security Guards (NSG), Assam Rifles, the northeastern states, Uttar Pradesh Police and the Fertilizer Corporation of India Ltd at Talcher in Orissa.
Kaypee Company, a small-scale industry, was established way back in 1952 in Ranchi. The company got the design of rifle racks patented in 1961 and has so far supplied more than 20,000 rifle racks to security forces, airports, governor houses and the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The company has a yearly turnover of around Rs.1 million to Rs.1.5 million.
“Initially the rifle racks were made for traditional 303 rifles. With the passage of time, we re-designed the rifle racks model. Now we make racks for modern weapons. The racks operation is mechanical. In three seconds, one can lock the rifles and unlock them in same period of time,” Satyaindra Kumar Chopra, managing director of Kaypee Company, told IANS.
Chopra claims to have supplied more than 20,000 rifle racks. The cost of one rifle rack, which can keep 10 rifles, comes for around Rs.13,800. The rifle racks are designed for four, eight, 10 and 20 rifles in a rack.
Besides Indian security forces, the Royal Nepal Army also uses the rifle racks.
The racks are made of steel, painted in battleship grey colour, with highly polished wooden base for holding and protecting the butt end of the rifles.
The theft proof rifle racks are designed to accommodate 303 rifle, 7.62 mm BA type rifle, 7.62 mm SLR, 5.56 mm SLR, 9 mm carbine guns, AK 47 and double barrel guns. The advantage of this rack is that a single rifle or all the rifles can be made immediately available.
For security reasons, the rack can be bolted to the ground. There is special locking arrangement. The rifle racks also have an ammunition box. Specially designed Zinc Alloy Pressure Die Cast Chromium plated 6 Lever Lock with stainless steel keys are provided for extra security. The racks are specially designed to protect rifles from scratches.
Then vice president V.V. Giri in 1969 honoured the company with the Udyog Ratan award and in 2002, the firm bagged the state government’s Award for Excellence Udyog Ratan.
Pyarelal Chopra, a mechanical and electrical engineer from Lahore University, established the company. Chopra migrated to India in 1947 from Lahore in Pakistan after division of the country. He was helped by a school friend K.K. Sharma, who had migrated before creation of Pakistan to Ranchi.
“When my father migrated to Ranchi from Lahore, he did small business. He used to play hockey at the Bihar Military Police (BMP) ground in Ranchi. One day, the BMP commandant was looking worried. My father insisted on knowing the reason and the BMP commandant revealed his concern about the security of rifles as some of the rifles were missing,” said Chopra, youngest son of P.L. Chopra.
“This prompted my father to design rifle racks and the journey of the Kaypee Company began,” he added.
At present, the company is busy completing the work orders of National Thermal Power Corporation, Steel Authority of India Ltd, the CISF training centre at Talcher and Goa airport.
But the Jharkhand Police has yet to use them despite Maoist rebels repeatedly looting their weapons.
“Our rifle racks are supplied everywhere in the country. Jharkhand police have procured modern weapons like Insas and AK series but have not purchased racks for their security,” said Chopra.
“Maoist rebels have looted rifles at several places. Despite this, the Jharkhand police are yet to decide on buying our racks. We have written several letters to state police chief V.D. Ram but there was no positive response.”
Asked why the rifle racks are not used in Jharkhand, a senior police official said: “We have realized the need of such racks and will soon decide on the issue.”