KOCHI: Policemen will not have to carry a heavy battery to defuse a bomb. Carrying a small pocketable device invented by a Malayali policeman will be enough. The government has given permission to make the 'Power On-PB' device, which is the size of a mobile phone, a part of the Kerala State Bomb Squad.

The device was built at a low cost in 2021 by S Vivek, a member of the Ernakulam Range State Special Branch Bomb Squad. The device was modified and perfected as per the instructions of the PWD electronics department, Thrissur. The device passed official testing at the Chennai Electronic Testing and Development Center last year. Its report was evaluated by the state police chief and recommended to the government.

Vivek, a native of Alappuzha's Thuravoor, joined the force 10 years ago as a civil police officer. Later, after passing the bomb disposal course at NSG in Haryana, he moved to the bomb squad. Vivek, who had not studied electronics, had made an ultraviolet machine to kill the covid germs and handed it over to the bomb squad.

Neutralization

• Bombs will be delivered to the empty space and attached to long wires. It would be detonated at a distance of 100 meters by a wire attached to a large battery.
• From now on, just connecting Vivek's device to the wire instead of a battery and pressing the switch can detonate the bomb.
• The device can be charged from a phone and power bank. Battery charge level can be understood.

"The wish is to bring 'power on' to all police forces in collaboration with start-up companies."

-S. Vivek