Srinagar Apr 27: In a surprise move, CRPF and police Wednesday morning conducted joint exercises in Srinagar to oversee the operational preparedness for tackling any future agitation as was witnessed in the summer of 2010.
Hundreds of CRPF and police personnel, enshrouded in special body protectors and equipped with newly acquired shields, canes and non-lethal weapons marched through different locations of the city. The security personnel from police jurisdictions of Shergari, Rajbagh, Ram Munshi Bagh, Saddar, Maisuma, and other areas took part in the drill.
 “Mock drills were carried out by joint columns of police and CRPF in Srinagar city,” CRPF spokesman Prabhkar Tripathi said. “The exercise was conducted in view of last year’s summer unrest. The drill was aimed at gauging the operational preparedness of security personnel to deal with any emergent law and order situation”.
 He said the mock drills in Srinagar were initiated once the inspector generals of police and CRPF- SM Sahai and Dr RP Neharda- went on a surprise visit to check the newly arrived gears and preparedness of the security personnel who are undergoing training at different places to deal with the law and order situation.
 “The exercises would increase the coordination between police and CRPF. The mock drill depicts that we are not complacent and can handle any type of agitation without any physical and property loss,” Tripathi said and added that the force was hopeful of a peaceful summer ahead.
 “Even if some disturbances arise, we’re fully prepared to tackle the situation with near minimum use of force,” he said and added that the CRPF and police have gone through rigorous training in controlling the crowd with the use of non-lethal weapons. With non-lethal weapons and better police-CRPF coordination, Tripathi said the causalities will be ‘undoubtedly’ less, in case of outbreak of protests.
 “Lethal weapons will be the last resort. Our men are fully prepared to control the crowds with non-lethal weapons,” he said.
 However, he refused to comment on any lack of coordination between police and CRPF during summer of 2010 unrest.
 The police and CRPF are under training from past five months to deal with general law and order problems. There are around 22 battalions of CRPF currently deployed in Srinagar.
 On the other hand, the mock drill took people by surprise in the city.
 “I thought there is stone pelting going on somewhere,” said Ashiq Hameed, a shopkeeper at Maisuma. “I was about to pull the shutters down when police men told him that it was just an exercise”.
 In five month long unrest of 2010 around 118 civilians were killed and estimated 2500 injured. The CRPF was accused of using force without directions from the State Government and provoking people. The joint exercises will also take place in every district of Kashmir valley, police sources said.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 27 Apr 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 27 Apr 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 28 Apr 2011 00:00:00 IST