Rakshita-Bike ambulances

Context: CRPF gets 21 DRDO-developed bike ambulances for remote area operations

• Bike ambulances’ developed by the DRDO were inducted into the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) for casualty evacuation tasks in remote Naxal violence and insurgency-affected areas.
• The customised ‘Rakshita’ ambulances have been created on 350cc Royal Enfield Classic bikes by the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS), a scientific research body under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
• The bikes will be used in operational areas like the Left Wing Extremism-affected states and insurgency-hit areas for evacuating sick or injured troops of the paramilitary force.
• These ambulances will be “gainfully utilised” to also help the locals of the area where the force is deployed.
• The bike’s pillion has been customised as a casualty evacuation seat with recline and has a hand immobiliser and harness jacket.
• A physiological parameter measuring equipment with monitoring capability and auto-warning system has been provided to the driver along with a dashboard-mounted LCD for measuring vital parameters of the casualty.
• The ambulance also has an air splint medical and oxygen kit, can provide saline and oxygen on the move, adjustable footrest, and hand and foot strap for safety among others.

CRPF:

• The CRPF, the lead force for anti-Naxal operations and internal security in the country.
• It first toyed with the bike ambulance idea in February, 2018 when the troops of its 85th battalion deployed in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district used their patrolling bikes to evacuate casualties from remote areas under its jurisdiction.
• Following this, the force approached the INMAS to develop a fully capable and equipment-supported bike ambulance.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/crpf-gets-21-drdo-developed-bike-ambulances-for-remote-area-operations/article33600442.ece