SAP personnel to be deployed for disaster management

Patna, May 25 (UNI) The Bihar government has decided to deploy jawans of Special Auxiallary Police (SAP) for disaster management and relief and rescue operations in events of natural calamities.

State Inspector General of Police (headquarters) Anil Kumar Sinha told newspersons here today that SAP, first of its kind in the country comprising ex-Army personnel, went through regular rigorous training programmes for accomplishing the said tasks while they were in Defence services.

Mr Sinha said ex-Army personnel from different regions of the country, including Kumayun and Garhwal, had shown keen interest in joining the SAP. He said a battalion training centre would be opened for SAP jawans.

He said the government was in favour of making optimum utilisation of the SAP jawans.

Mr Sinha said SAP jawans had been recruited on one year contract which can also be renewed. He said the state government had plans to recruit at least 5,000 SAP jawans adding that the present strength was nearly 3000. He said number of SAP jawans could be increased if such a situation warranted.

Mr Sinha said other state governments were also considering to raise forces on SAP pattern. The government had vested police powers to the jawans of SAP, empowering them to arrest and perform other duties assigned to any other policeman.

He said the former Army personnel were inducted into the SAP on the recommendations of the Army authorities after thorough screening of their dossiers.

UNI/DH SJC SI BST2051