Coming up in UP: Grenede-proof police stations in Maoist area

A mineproof vehicle carrying the CoBRA unit forces patrol into the jungles of Bastar, Chhattisgarh.

LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh Police (UPP) is set to bring up bullet-proof and bomb-resistant well-equipped state-of-the-art police station for the
three Naxal-affected districts in the state. Conceived on the lines of similar police stations constructed by the Andhra Pradesh Police (APP) in the Naxal belt of the state, these buildings will include some technical elements of grenade-proof bunkers.

The government is also toying with the idea of floating some 30 special police squads to fight naxals. The new force is expected to be stationed at Sonebhadra and pressed into service in the adjoining two districts of Chandauli and Mirzapur for operations.

To begin which, these new police stations will be equipped with double mode standby power-supply and ration for the staff to last at least 10 days in case of an emergency. It will have armouries housed in well-equipped strong rooms with hi-tech security locking system and automatic alarm system connected to the district police control room 24X7.

The police station building – comprising three storeys – will be circular in shape with the storey below being bigger than the one above it to give it a conical shape. This will not only provide clear few of the premises from all around but also eliminate possibilities of the enemy hiding behind the boundary walls to prepare for the final assault. The railing on the three floors will be higher than the average height of the occupants and will be capped with a half dome like roof. The high railing wall will help to provide cover to the cops inside the police station. The dome roof will not allow any hand granade or bomb to hold on it but slip them off instead because of the steep taper.

“The structure will be built of RCC and heavily padded with sand-bag walls from all side to give it a near bomb-proof shell to face the fire-power that the Naxals are known to be equipped with,” said director general of police (DGP) Vikram Singh talking to TOI about the characteristics of the new police stations.

The ground floor of the structure will house the police station office, armoury and safety vault and lock-up, apart from the visitor’s room. The second floor will comprise residential accomodation and kitchen for the staff apart from back-up paraphernelia while the top floor will have the control room. The wireless system at these police stations will be conmnected directly to the district control room 24×7 with a hotline. Besides, the sensitive mikes would pick up each and every audio element in its range and flash it at the district control room.

“This will help keep round-the-closk watch on these police stations from the control room. In case of an attack on the police station, the control room would come to know about it immediately and respond automatically,” said Singh.

“We had sent a team of top officials headed by additional director general of police (law & order – I) Brij Lal to AP to study in detail the structure and highlights of these police stations. Their first-hand observations will also be incorporated in raising the new buildings,” the state police chief said.

Reserve Police Lines, police stations and PAC camps in general and their respective armouries in particular have been a choice target for Naxals across the country for reasons more than one, says the DGP. “The Naxals strongly believe that such attacks not only provide arms and ammunition belonging to the police force and help instill a sense of fear among men in uniform, but also fetch instant publciity,” Singh says. As a result the state government decided to follow the AP model after incorporating some technical suggestions from the army as well. TOI