Counter Insurgency forces in Kashmir complete training with Indian Army
Dated 19/4/2006
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Bhalra: A group of over 400 policemen and former militants in Jammu and Kashmir Wednesday completed a special training course for counter-insurgency operations at an elite Indian Army facility.
This was the first time that police personnel were trained at the army's Core Battle School at Bhalra, nestled amid high mountains in a remote part of Doda district.
Col. Sudhir Uppal, the commandant of the school, said: "The aim of the training was to improve the skills of the policemen and increase the success rate during anti-militancy operations and to prevent casualties."
Four deputy superintendents of police and seven sub-inspectors were in the batch that completed the four-week course.
Also in the group were some former militants who were part of over 200 Special Police Officers (SPOs) -- temporary policemen employed to help the regular force.
Uppal said the focus was specialised training in counter-insurgency, including "minor tactics, patrolling, ambush, cordon and search operations, seek and destroy, landmine management and human rights besides the handling of gunshot wounds and eviction of casualties".
Lt. Col. S.S. Rana led about 50 army instructors who, besides imparting tough training in combat and tactics, "taught the trainees to respect human rights".
"The policemen were trained to be ruthless fighters and soft-hearted on human rights issues," an instructor said.
Special care was given to the diet and nutrition of the trainees. "Extra nutritious diet was provided to the SPOs since their monthly salary is just Rs.1,500 and they belong to poor families," said Uppal.
The policemen said they were satisfied with the training, which had made them "more confident for counter-insurgency operations".
Abdul Manaf, a former militant who participated in the course, said: "The training was good. Now I feel we can fight militants better."
Manaf had joined the separatist movement in 1995 and gone to Pakistan and Afghanistan for training. He belonged to the Tehreek-ul-Jehad and was a "district commander" in the Rajouri area till he surrendered in February 1999.
Devinder Singh, a policeman who completed the training, said: "Though we had received training from the state police, this was better because the army that taught us good techniques to fight militants.
"We feel more confident now. The training of policemen by the army should become a regular feature."
