Lathi (baton)
Lathi ( Hindi लाठी, lit. "stick") is a baton that is commonly used by Indian law enforcement officers.
material
The batons are made from flexible, thin bamboo . The length is about 60 centimeters to one meter with a diameter of around two to three centimeters. A hand strap can be attached to the lower end and the upper end can be shod with iron.
origin
Already in the British Raj were local security forces equipped with Lathis which mainly in the security service and demonstrations went into service. In the course of the film documentation of the independence movement in India in particular, Lathis are likely to have also become known in Western countries.
commitment
Lathis are still mainly used in the security service against civilians. They are part of the basic equipment of the urban police forces in India, such as the Bombay City Police or village police officers who are usually equipped without firearms, but also the police associations of sub-states / territories and paramilitary task forces. Lathis can cause moderate to severe injuries.
The members of the women's rights organization Gulabi Gang, founded by Sampat Pal Devi , became known for their actions against law enforcement officers who refuse to investigate rape and sexual abuse , specifically that the activists treat police officers in the same way as they usually treat their lathis against civil resistance apply.