Naxal ops: Serving Army officers to train cops

Sources told The Indian Express that MHA had already discussed the matter with the Defence Ministry as well as the Army and that they have agreed to spare officers for periods between six months to a year for this purpose. We have requested the Army to place the trainers on deputation with MHA or the respective state governments for the duration of the training, said a senior MHA officer.

Training will take place at the Counter-Insurgency and Anti-Terrorism Schools,established in these states last year. As of now,only retired Army officers and jawans are involved in the training of state and central police forces.

Basically,the purpose is to ensure that our police forces in Naxal and terrorism-infested states,which lack required skills to take on Naxalites and terrorists in jungle and guerilla warfare,are provided the best-possible training. Since it got involved in counter-terrorism operations in J&K and North-East,the Army has revised its training programme in view of the changed scenario. This is why we are keen to involve serving officers in training our police force, the officer said.

It is learnt that some states like Chattisgarh and Maharashtra have already asked the Centre to depute serving Army officers to train their police personnel involved in anti-Naxal operations.

Most states in the Red Corridor,where Naxal presence is maximum,have time and again argued that their forces were ill-equipped and ill-trained to take on Maoists.

At Thursdays meeting,which will be attended by senior police and Home Department officers from Naxal-infested states,MHA will finalise the blueprint for coordinated anti-Naxal operations involving the Special Operations Groups (SOG) of state police forces and the CRPF,sources said.