Fidayeen attack aftermath: Agencies strees on use of hi-tech equip

Lucknow, Jan 4 (UNI) Police and security agencies have stressed the need for using more hi-tech equipment for guarding important installations following the New Year fidayeen attack on CRPF group centre at Rampur which killed eight people.

The need to use more electronic equipment to lessen manpower burden came up for discussion at a meeting chaired by the Chief Secretary here today.

Police and security officials were of the opinion that electronic equipment such as closed circuit TV (CCTV) cameras and electronic barricades should be installed to check the movement of unauthorised people near important insallations, including government offices, residences of VVIPs and religious shrines. ''Less, but heavily armed security personnel can deal with threats, provided the move of the intruder is detected well in advance...cameras, sensors can help securitymen in this regard,'' said a police official.

Police officials were of the view that use of hi-tech equipment can also lessen the burden on the police force to deploy more personnel on guard duties.

Meanwhile, a report from Moradabad said the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and the Special Task Force (STF) are tracing the origin of few phone calls made from certain PCOs near the CRPF group centre in Rampur just before and soon after the fidayeen attack.

The New Year attack on the CRPF camp had left seven personnel and a rickshaw-puller dead and several others injured. While CRPF has maintained that it was not aware about the exact number of terrorists involved, the Rampur police had lodged an FIR against six unidentified people for the attack.

A CRPF jawan from the 16th battalion, who is former Kashmir ultra, has been detained for interrogation as he slept through the attack in the guardroom where two of his colleagues were mowed down by terrorists.

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