Ranchi, Nov. 7: Amar Kumar Mishra was thrilled to see Gun Machine MAG 7.62, the weapon that Sunil Shetty is shown using in the 1997 Bollywood blockbuster Border against the Pakistani army.

But the Class VII boy didn't stop there.

He asked weapon expert-cum-BSF instructor A.K. Gahlot to show him the part of the gun where the recoil spring was located. In the movie, the recoil spring in the gun wielded by Shetty, playing the role of BSF Captain Bhairon Singh, stops working, prompting co-soldier Sudesh Berry (Subedar Mathura Das) to extract another spring but he gets fatally injured in the process.

Gahlot, who was too inspired by the J.P. Dutta war epic to join the BSF, showed the boy the portion of the gun he was looking for and asked him whether he intended to join the army as well.

The answer was obvious.

"Of course. I will," replied Amar, who hails from Patna in Bihar.

Amar was not alone. Scores of visitors were enamoured by the myriad combat weapons displayed by the BSF at Loyala PG grounds on Purulia Road, Ranchi.

The exhibition and band show for civilians, especially for children, was organised by the paramilitary force's Training Centre and School (TCS) headquartered at Meru in Hazaribagh to mark BSF's 50 years.From archaic weapons like 7.92mm Mauser Rifle developed and used in 1871, those used by the Imperial Japan Service in 1905, the 84mm Carl Gustat Rocket Launcher developed in 1940 for the Swedish Army and rare weapons gifted by the royal Scindia family to bayonet-fitted 9mm P08 pistol and modern lethal weapons - the range was huge.

A large number of fire weapons seized from the Pakistani armed force during 1971, including NORINCO 7.62, 6.5mm LMG, Vickers Berthier LMG and Fucile Mitragliatore, were also showcased.

Besides, 5.56mm INSAS rifle first used during Kargil war, X 95 assault rife made in Israel, that unique mammoth size anti-tank weapon that had put Pakistani tanks on run during 1971 war aroused interest of visitors. Rocket and grenade launcher, binocular developed by Germany during Second World War, sophisticated LRF, heat sensor and other kind of binocular that can identify target up to 20 km were also on display.

BSF jawans and officers were seen patiently briefing visitors about each and every weapon. "This weapon had helped us win battle. It can fire 1,000 rounds of bullets per minute. It can shoot down a helicopter flying at low altitude," Gahlot said while explaining the utility of Gun Machine MAG 7.62 to Amar.

and services offered by the BSF in protecting the country's frontiersDifferent weapons at display - modern and obsolete - are of different range; minimum 50 meters up to five km.�

The film is based on bravery of Border Security Force (BSF) during the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war.

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