Army says cops should not be wearing combat uniform

New Delhi, Feb 26: The Indian Army has urged the Centre not to let cops wear combat gear in Delhi. The Army has written to the Defence ministry saying that the Home Ministry should issue instructions that combat gear should not be worn by Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) while being deployed to handle law and order situations or being deployed in urban areas affected by terrorism. The Army says that the surroundings do not demand such a requirement.

The use of distinctly different, both in colour and pattern disruptive dress by the CAPFs and state police forces should be restricted only to deployment in jungle terrain in left wing extremism affected areas. The bullet proof jackets worn by the CAPFs and state police should be of plain khaki and not of combat colour.

Over the years the state police and CAPFs have started wearing combat uniforms which are just slightly different from the ones that are worn by the Indian Army personnel. These minor variations cannot be distinguished by civilians giving them the impression that the personnel wearing such dresses in cities and towns of India while engaged in internal security duties, escorting VIPs, on policing duties are Army personnel.

Further the Army has also told the Defence Ministry that the sale of Army pattern clothes in the open markets should be regulated.