5 CRPF training centres set up across the country

Coimbatore, Sep 22: Aiming at strengthening various capabilities of CRPF personnel, five training centres have been set up across the country, a top official of the paramilitary force said here today (Sept 22).

"With 218 CRPF battalions posted across the country, it was necessary to strengthen their capabilities at special training centres and work on four such centres is in the completion stage. Besides, an intelligence school exclusively for the force to gather information about activities of terrorists or extremists has also been set up," CRPF DG K Vijayakumar told reporters at Kurudampalayam, 25 km from here.

He, however, refused to give details of the locations of the Centres citing security reasons.

Sniper training, in which the participants will be trained to shoot down enemy from a distance of over two km, is being imparted to the force to tackle the left extremists, who were moving mainly in forest areas, Vijayakumar said.

The force is being given training in detection and handling of explosives of all types. They are also given jungle warfare training to combat attacks from hidden extremists, he said.

"Ten COBRA units, with specialised training to tackle Naxalites, have already been set up, the services of which could be utilised anywhere in the country," he said.

PTI