Armour plate for all CRPF buses in Valley

Ajay Banerjee & Shaurya K Gurung

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 28

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has decided to “armour plate” all its buses in Kashmir. The move comes after the deadly militant attack on its men on Saturday.

Editorial: Shootout and after

Two militants ambushed a bus carrying CRPF troops and killed eight while injuring 22 at Pampore in Kashmir on Saturday. The steel sheets on the bus body provided no protection as these are not meant to stop bullets. 

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The Army has already armour-plated its buses used between Sonamarg and Banihal tunnel. CRPF DG Durga Prasad said, “After the attack on a BSF convoy (at Bijbehara in Anantnag on June 3), we started looking at the type of arrangement the Army has made to use bulletproof material or sheets all along the sides of the buses.”

The bulletproofing material can avoid casualties when persons inside the bus come under a hail of bullets. The DG had defended the application of the existing standard operating procedure (SOP), but said, “We need to look at it again on how best we can improve the existing SOPs.”

Sources say all Army troops sit by the window while the adjacent seats are kept vacant so as to allow space to duck in case of any militant attack. The troops always wear bulletproof jackets, bulletproof helmets and carry a loaded weapon. Moreover, highway domination teams move ahead of all its convoys.

The CRPF is mandated to ensure safety of civilian and VIP vehicle convoys moving on national highways, protect important buildings, including the state Assembly, and provide security for the annual Amarnath pilgrimage. Any change in its existing duties can be effected only after a meeting between the Home Ministry, the Defence Ministry and the Jammu and Kashmir Government. The force was deployed in the state to reduce footprint of the Army.