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Journalism of Courage
JAMMU, January 14: The State Task Force (STF) in Jammu and Kashmir will soon become one of the best equipped force with the Government planning to equip it with special scrambler wireless sets and automatic weapons, including rocket launchers and two-inch mortars.
The State police has procured 120 scrambler sets which send messages that cannot be tapped by any other set. "These sets will be exclusively provided to the STF groups in all the districts in the Valley and sensitive areas in Jammu province," said Ashok Bhan, Inspector General of Police (Modernisation) while talking to The Indian Express.
Giving details, he said it is necessary to provide modern communication systems to the STF in order to neutralise the advantage of militants, who have been using high-tech communication systems for sending messages across the border.
He said the STF groups will now be provided 20 to 25 scrambler sets each for better functioning.
Regarding the weaponry, Bhan pointed out that the STF in the State is already having automatic weapons like AK-47 assault rifles and light machine guns. "Now they have been given two-inch mortars to overpower militants while fighting in high mountain reaches and thick forests. Weapons like mortars and rocket launchers are necessary to liquidate ultras who take up position in thick forests and use Pika and heavy machine guns, besides AKs," said another senior police officer.
During the current year, the State police is acquiring 5,000 automatic and semi-automatic guns. "A part of these weapons are meant to strengthen the recently created STF groups in Jammu region. The rest will be distributed to the nearly 5,000 policemen who are under training in various centres," the IG said.
Referring to the training aspect, he said STF jawans in small groups are being sent to the National Security Guards (NSG) and para-military training centres for commando training. Another official pointed out that plans are being made to recruit local youths in the police force.
"The locals are familiar to the terrain and can give tough fight to the militants, especially the foreign mercenaries who are new to the area," he said.
On increasing the strength of the force, Bhan said additional 4,500 men will be trained by the end of the current year. "Out of this, 1,200 will be in the Indian Reserve Battalions and the remaining 3,400 will be posted to different police stations," he said.
