Lathi means stick and also refers to an martial art based on cane-fighting. The word is used in Hindi, Bengali and various other languages. The lathi typically measures 6 to 8-foot (2.4 m) and may be tipped with metal. It commonly used as a crowd control device by the Indian Police and other South Asian law enforcement agencies. A lathi-wielder is known as a lathial or lethel or lathait.