NEW DELHI: The Army will train personnel of the country's main counter-insurgency force, CRPF, in detecting and defusing Improvised Explosive Devices/landmines which have claimed the lives of hundreds of security personnel and left many more maimed during anti-naxal operations in different states.
Government sources said that though the paramilitary force had detected and defused a number of landmines in the affected areas, it needs some specialized training for its personnel to handle different types of IEDs.
The CRPF recovered 1,547 sets of IEDs during 2006-11. The numbers have been increasing over the years. Besides being deployed in naxal-affected regions, the CRPF also has huge presence in Jammu & Kashmir and the north-eastern states.
"There is a plan to set up an exclusive first-ever school for providing training in handling of IEDs for the country's largest paramilitary force," said an official.
According to the plan, Army personnel will train a few officers and jawans who are operating in naxal-hit areas and they would subsequently create a pool of experts in prevention, detection, neutralisation, destruction and disposal of IEDs.
An IED bomb data centre, which will act as a repository of such explosive devices, will also be established. The training in IED detection and neutralisation will also be imparted to personnel belonging to central forces deployed in J&K and north-eastern states later on. The paramilitary force is, meanwhile, looking for land in Pune to establish an exclusive centre for training in handling IEDs. A few Army officials will also be sent on deputation to the CRPF to put the school in place.
Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Jharkhand are the worst affected states in terms of landmines being planted by Red ultras. Various IED tracing devices, including 'dip sticks', used to detect hidden explosives, and sniffer dogs have failed to be foolproof and a number of patrol parties, both on foot and in vehicles, have fallen prey to these deadly explosive devices which are sometimes as heavy as 50 kg.
Government sources said that though the paramilitary force had detected and defused a number of landmines in the affected areas, it needs some specialized training for its personnel to handle different types of IEDs.
The CRPF recovered 1,547 sets of IEDs during 2006-11. The numbers have been increasing over the years. Besides being deployed in naxal-affected regions, the CRPF also has huge presence in Jammu & Kashmir and the north-eastern states.
"There is a plan to set up an exclusive first-ever school for providing training in handling of IEDs for the country's largest paramilitary force," said an official.
According to the plan, Army personnel will train a few officers and jawans who are operating in naxal-hit areas and they would subsequently create a pool of experts in prevention, detection, neutralisation, destruction and disposal of IEDs.
An IED bomb data centre, which will act as a repository of such explosive devices, will also be established. The training in IED detection and neutralisation will also be imparted to personnel belonging to central forces deployed in J&K and north-eastern states later on. The paramilitary force is, meanwhile, looking for land in Pune to establish an exclusive centre for training in handling IEDs. A few Army officials will also be sent on deputation to the CRPF to put the school in place.
Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Jharkhand are the worst affected states in terms of landmines being planted by Red ultras. Various IED tracing devices, including 'dip sticks', used to detect hidden explosives, and sniffer dogs have failed to be foolproof and a number of patrol parties, both on foot and in vehicles, have fallen prey to these deadly explosive devices which are sometimes as heavy as 50 kg.
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