JKP no longer nodal agency for MI-17
Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Feb 26: Jammu and Kashmir Police is no longer a nodal agency for allocating MI-17 helicopters to Central Armed Forces in Jammu and Kashmir as Home Ministry has put them at the disposal of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). These can be now used to airlift CRPF men who are proceeding on leave.
The MI-17 copters of the BSF were kept at the disposal of J&K Police for emergency use during operations for re-enforcement of troops and evacuation. However, the MHA has now made CRPF as nodal agency for these copters.
Now the CRPF jawans deployed in Kashmir and going on leave will be transported to the nearby destination through an MI-17 helicopter to avoid IED attacks.
“In view of the new threat from Magnetic IEDs and RCIEDs, Inspector General has desired ferrying of leave jawans through MI-17 helicopter to minimise the risk of IEDs on the convoy. Accordingly, three days per week have been earmarked for the transportation of troops,” said a letter, adding that CRPF issued a letter to its jawan detailing the format of getting the helicopter facility.
The airlifting of the CRPF jawans proceeding on leave comes two years after the deadly attack on CRPF convoy in Pulwama on February 14, 2019.
This new facility will help the CRPF to avoid convoy travel by road. “Jawans will have to inform their units and submit a request at least before a day to get the helicopter facility”, the letters read.
An official said that it was a long-pending decision which has been implemented. The jawans and officers can be easily ferried through BSF MI-17 thrice in a week and there would not be any threat of IEDs as well.
The step has been taken for the safety of jawans considering the threat from IEDs and Magnetic IEDs and it will avoid convoy movement by road, which came under target in the Pulwama attack.
The service will be given thrice a week which can be used by jawans to get transport through a CRPF helicopter.
An official said that sticky bombs are dangerous as RDX is being used for this IED. He said that it will certainly impact the present security scenario.
“We are fully prepared to handle such challenges. We are amending our SOPs as per requirement like making distance between private vehicles and security forces vehicles on the road”, he said.
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