NSG trains state police on bomb disposal

TURA, AUG 6: To provide a cutting edge to the Meghalaya police and give them specilised training to deal with terror attacks in insurgency-hit Garo hills, a month long training on bomb disposal was conducted by NSG at Tura, which concluded on Saturday.

A total of 40 security personnel comprising of Meghalaya police and BSF from different parts of Garo hills were given the training.

In February and March this year, Meghalaya police had detected about 60 IEDs in East Garo Hills, including five IEDs from a school premises. In January this year, five people lost their lives in an IED attack at a liquor shop in Williamnagar.

In most part of Garo hills, there is no manpower trained in bomb disposal, which necessitated the training. The personnel were trained on standard operational procedures (SOPs) for bomb disposal and IEDs.

Under this course, instructors from NSG along with experts in the Meghalaya police gave detailed information about different types of IEDs, way these IEDs are planted by insurgents in insurgency-hit districts besides teaching them the technique of defusing bombs and disposing them of besides other facts linked with the nature of these lethal bombs.

There are about six active militant outfits in the state. Of which the most dreaded outfit is the Garo National Liberation Army.

Speaking to the security personnel, who underwent the training, DIG western range S S Kynjing said, “In a bomb attack, militants always has the advantage more than the bomb squad, but it the responsibility of the security forces to try their level best. In such a scenario, it is important that security forces knows the drill and how to estimate and verify the IEDs”.

Taking about yesterday firing at Kokrajhar in Assam, which led to the killing of 14 lives, Kynjing said, “In such situation, security forces can retaliate and neutralize militants if they have the expertise”.

Kynjing also stated that Kashmir and Northeast is the most difficult area to operate and it becomes incumbent on the police forces to take up the challenge, so that human lives can be saved.

Superintendent of Police West Garo Hills Mukesh Singh said the training is about building capacity, so that police can handle a situation and manage it.

Earlier this year, the GNLA terrorists had put up posts on Facebook showing preparation of IEDs. There have been several instances, when the rebels in Meghalaya had warned the police of terror attacks and bomb blasts in different parts of Garo hills. In the past three years, at least 30 people including security forces were killed in IED blasts in Garo hills.-From Our Correspondent