A model of technological innovation has joined the metro flock in the form of a vehicle that doubles up as an effective ‘water cannon’ and a dozer for use in riot control. More than anyone else, the police personnel must feel the joy that water, the scarce commodity in town, will be the means to get the rioters running helter-skelter away from the area where the administration feels that they should not be making their violent protests heard. If that is not enough, the newly imported vehicle has the necessary paraphernalia to get the water coloured which when sprayed on the protestors will provide an edge for identification purposes later on. The genuine rioters may not mind the colour sticking to their skin, but the passersby may have to go through severe interrogation if they are rounded up.

The new ‘water cannon’ addition must pep up the spirits of the police because the forceful spray would be enough to scatter the mob bent on making its concrete presence felt with the showers of bricks and rocks. If one so wishes, the wholly computerized multi-purpose vehicle can lob gas shells which could come in handy when the need is to control big riots on the streets. As per reports, six more are to join the fleet to strengthen the riot control capacity of the already overstretched police force. One up for modernizing the security set-up. How good or bad they will prove, only time will show.