Cossipore: A lightweight pistol small enough to slip into a purse and fire eight rounds in less than 10 seconds promises to be a woman's new best friend.

Ashani MK-II, launched by the Cossipore Gun and Shell Factory on Saturday, has been built keeping in mind the modern woman on the move who needs to take care of her own safety.

"This is mainly for women's empowerment," Rajib Chakraborty, senior general manager of the gun and shell factory, told Metro .

Anyone with a valid arms licence, PAN card and an Aadhaar number can buy it for Rs 72,000, exclusive of taxes.

The 0.32-inch pistol - the reference is to the size of the bore - will be available in two colours with a slight variation in design, width and length for men and women.

A website is to be launched soon with a facility for online purchases. Till then, it can be purchased either from the factory or an authorised dealer.

Ashani MK-II is an improvement on an existing model called Ashani that was launched in India 20 years ago.

Weighing 600gm for the women's version, the new pistol has a red-dot indicator on the upper surface to indicate if the chamber is loaded or not.

Although getting an arms licence isn't easy, the manufacturer hopes that prospective customers will see Ashani MK-II as essential for personal safety.

An applicant for an arms licence has to submit the relevant form with all documents at the city police headquarters or district magistrate's office. The person needs to justify why he or she needs a gun.