'Slain CRPF jawans never trained to fight Naxals'

New Delhi, Apr 9: Army chief General V K Singh said on Thursday, Apr 8, that the 76 CRPF personnels who were killed by Maoists were never trained in jungle warfare to fight the Maoists, media reports said.

Responding to the query on the Dantewada massacre, Army Chief said that what had happened in Dantewada was the result of internal deficiencies.

"This is a matter of concern... in what has happened, there were some internal deficiencies, which may be in their training or some other things and they (paramilitary forces) are thinking over it," he said.

Stating the army had trained over 40,000 police and CRPF personnel in counter-insurgency operations, the Army Chief said that the 76 slain CRPF jawans of 62nd battalion were never trained by them.

He acknowledge that there are certain problem areas in training the CRPF personnels as the complete unit of personnel do not come for training unlike the Army.

"At times, we don't get homogeneous entities for training. It means that if it is a Company (for training), it does not come to us as a Company (together), which happens in the Army.

He said that the Army perform better in counter-insurgency operations because everyone is trained well.

"It is the complete lot that comes to us for training, right from officer to the man down below," he said.

The Army Chief said that they have suggested certain measures which could be of help to the CRPF and state police forces

"we are suggesting some measures to the home ministry and I am sure once implemented things will become better," he said.

Singh refused to comment on the flaws of the CRPF operation in Dantewada, stating that it would be wrong to say anything on the matter without getting full details

"I can't comment on it as I was not there. Till the time we don't get the details, it will be wrong for me to comment."

Commenting on the whether the Home Ministry had approached the Defence Ministry for any help, he said that they have not yet received any request for help.

"Home ministry has not asked for anything. The aid given by the Air Force is in terms of airlift of troops and stores and the assistance given by us in terms of training and advice. If they want any other assistance, I think it can be decided mutually between the home and the defence ministries."

Asked whether the Army was willing to be deployed in the anti-Maoists operation if it was asked to do so, Singh said that they were ready to do that needful.

"It is a hypothetical question. If it happens, we are deployed all over, we will act accordingly."

OneIndia News