GUWAHATI, July 13 � Insurgent activities in the State may be on the wane, but to prevent complacency of any kind, Assam Police plans extensive training for its bomb squad and that too by specialists of National Security Guard (NSG).
The State police is also expected to increase the budget meant for training of specialists dealing with detection, handling and disposal of explosives. Rs 4, 26,000 was spent in the last five years for training of the bomb squad.
Sources informed that although in the last five years only 53 police personnel attended bomb disposal courses in 19 batches in different training institutes outside the State, the figure might go up if the proposal is given the nod by the authorities concerned.
It is also learnt that in December 2012, a five-day training on bomb disposal was held under the aegis of the Army at Narengi.
If things go as planned, then 10 to 15 batches of police personnel will be sent every year to NSG headquarters to undergo training in explosives. Plans are also there to conduct refresher courses to keep them updated.
Ironically, Assam, which not many years ago was rated as the most terrorist-infested area, still lacks full-fledged attached bomb squads in all the districts.
Former Director General of NSG Ranjit Shekhar Mooshahary, while talking to this reporter, said, �Assam Police must take training from the NSG as it has miles to go in handling terrorism. Although many militant groups have laid down arms, splinter groups still pose the threat.�
�It is not end of terrorism in the State and one incident can erode the sense of security in the minds of the people,� Mooshahary opined.
He said that the National Bomb Data Centre of the NSG is a dedicated unit which collects and analyses the development taking place in regard to terrorist bombings in India and abroad, which proves handy for all security agencies.
