NPA team to study Sabarimala stampede incident

Hyderabad, Feb 12 (PTI): The Sardar Vallabhbhai PatelNational Police Academy (SVP-NPA) here is sending athree-member team to Kerala to do an on-the-spot case study ofthe recent stampede near Sabarimala.

"We have spoken to the local police officials in Keralaand are sending a team from NPA to study what went wrongthere," Director of the Academy, Rajiv Mathur, told a group ofjournalists here.

"A three-member (faculty) team from NPA will visit thestampede site next week," he said adding "we are not drawingany conclusions nor preparing any report. It will be mainlyfor the purpose of brain-storming on such incidents for theIPS probationers within the academy."

"We will place the facts before the probationers and makethem draw conclusions," he said.

Over 100 pilgrims were killed in the stampede at Uppuparanear Sabarimala in Kerala on the night of January 14 thisyear. The tragedy occurred when the pilgrims were returningafter witnessing the ''Makarajyothi''.

Mathur also said that as a part of training in tactics,NPA has been conducting ''spot case studies'' in left-wingextremist-affected areas.

"When CRPF personnel were attacked in Chhattisgarh lastyear, a team from NPA visited the spot. We found veryinteresting facts on the incident and gave our inputs tothe Union Home Ministry," the NPA Director added.