Srinagar: The Government of India ferried troopers of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) through an MI-17 helicopter to the nearby destination “to avoid IED attacks”, reported ANI.
The special facility came days after the second anniversary of the Pulwama bombing in February 2019 that had killed at least forty CRPF troopers on the highway.
The decision was implemented by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and an order has been issued by CRPF on Thursday. “In view of the new threat from Magnetic IEDs and RCIEDs, Inspector General has desired ferrying of leave jawans through MI-17 helicopter to minimise the risk of IEDs on the convoy. Accordingly, three days per week have been earmarked for the transportation of troops,” said a letter, adding that CRPF issued a letter to its jawan detailing the format of getting the helicopter facility.
This new facility will help the forces to avoid convoy travel by road, the report added. The letter read, “Jawans will have to inform their units and submit a request at least before a day to get the helicopter facility.”
“It was a long-pending decision which has been implemented. Now, jawans and officers can be easily ferried through BSF MI-17 thrice in a week and there would not be any threat of IEDs as well. The decision has been taken just after the anniversary of the Pulwama attack (February 14) where forty jawans were killed in a terror attack on a CRPF convoy,” an unnamed senior CRPF official told ANI.
