Now, a jacket that shocks the molester

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How about a fashion wear that acts as an anti-molestation tool? Yes, such a fashion gadget is a reality now. In response to the brutal Delhi gangrape, two fashion designing students, Nishant Priya and Shahzad Ahmad from Delhi’s National Institute of Fashion Technology have come up with an “anti-molestation” jacket.

“The jacket looks like any ordinary piece of clothing available in the market and works on the concept similar to the policemen’s stun gun, which administers an electric shock of 110V and puts the attacker off-guard,” Shahzad explains.
Professor Noopur Anand mentored the students in creating two prototypes of the outfit — one in acrylic and the other in trendy denim. She further explains the working of the gadget, “When a low voltage pulse is generated between the two electrodes, it momentarily immobilises the molester. The basic design was derived from a similar concept registered in 2004, where the idea was to develop wearable and washable clothing, which gives a woman enough time to make a dash when encountered by an attacker,” says Noopur.
The jacket’s weight is comparable to denim jackets or lined casual jackets and the cost of manufacturing is estimated to be less than `1,500.
“Devices like these are the need of the hour and I feel that this piece is a must-have for every girl,” says 23-year-old Nishant.
So when would the jacket be available in the market? “We are an educational institute and not in a position to mass produce. But we have already applied for a patent and are ready to put it for sale so that the jacket should be commercially available in the market,” she says.