Surat police make 'terrorists' wear skullcaps in mock drill

Surat, Jan 1: Surat Police courted controversy when it made dummy terrorists wear skullcaps during an anti-terror mock drill.

The incident came under criticism with the Congress mounting attack on the government claiming it an "administrative failure" and a Gujarat BJP's minority wing leader saying, "terrorism should never be linked to a particular religion", even as police defended the action.

The drill was conducted in Dobari coastal region in Olpad town of Surat to check preparedness of the force in case of a terror attack. A video of the drill shows five policemen holding three dummy terrorists who are wearing skull caps.

The trio is also shown lying down, while policemen keep a watch. The video ends with the men posing as "terrorists" being bundled into a jeep after being "captured" alive.

Responding to the incident, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, "Unfortunately the hallmark, the identity of this government is fast becoming a government which is using symbolic gestures, images, comments to create division... It is marked by intolerance, which is another reason, why it's a failure. It's a failed administration."

BJP leader and MoS for minority affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, however, said, "There is a need to ask who has given every Muslim an identity of al-Qaeda."

PTI