Mock Drill

Ahmedabad: A video of police mock drill showing dummy militants shouting pro-Islamic slogan emerged on Thursday in Gujarat, a day after controversy erupted over men, playing the part of terrorists, being made to wear skullcaps in a similar exercise in Surat.

Reacting to the Surat episode that came to light on Wednesday, Chief Minister Anandi Patel admitted it as a “mistake” to show people posing as terrorists in the drill in skullcaps.

The latest video is of another anti-terror mock drill at Narmada dam site in Kevadia area of Narmada district. It shows policemen holding two dummy terrorists who were shouting “take our lives, if you want. Islam Zindabad (long live Islam)”.

When contacted by PTI, Narmada Superintendent of Police Jaypalsinh Rathore said an inquiry will be conducted into the issue.

“I came to know about this incident (of projecting terrorists as Muslims) through media. If such an incident has happened, we will conduct an inquiry and take necessary actions against those responsible,” he said.

“The mock drill was a routine police exercise which was conducted a week ago in Kevadia area,” Rathore added.

As the Surat episode generated controversy and invited criticism from several quarters, including from the chief of Gujarat BJP Minority Cell, Patel told a TV channel it is wrong to link religion with terrorism.

“It’s wrong to link religion with terrorism. The issue has been resolved and the matter should be put to rest now. The mistake has been rectified,” she said.

The anti-terror drills were conducted ahead of the two high-profile events being held in the state – Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (January 7 to 9) and Vibrant Gujarat Investors Summit (January 11 to 13) – both in Gandhinagar.

(PTI)

Policemen posing as terrorists were told to wear skullcaps during an anti-terror drill in Surat

Surat: According to the Gujarat Police, two high-profile events in the state – Pravasi Bharatiya Divas and the Vibrant Gujarat Investors Summit – could be a target of terror attacks, and in order to be prepared against any disruptive incidents, mock anti-terror drills are being carried out across Gujarat.

However, it looks like for the police, terrorists and terrorism are quintessentially Muslim.

In the diamond hub of Surat, the drill to check the preparedness of the force ran into controversy on Tuesday, when dummy terrorists in the drill were shown wearing Muslim skullcaps.

A video of the drill shows five policemen holding three dummy terrorists who are wearing Muslim skullcaps. The trio were also shown lying down, while policemen keep a watch on them. The video ends with the men posing as terrorists being bundled into a police jeep after being captured alive.

Surat (Rural) Superintendent of Police Pradip Shejul said the situation could have been avoided by the police but said it should be taken as a “pretty normal thing”.

He said: “We have been conducting mock drills at several locations to check the preparedness ahead of the Vibrant Gujarat Summit. Today, it was held in a coastal location where a policeman posing as a terrorist was wearing a skullcap.”

He added that the incident was “avoidable” and said the intention was not to stereotype any community.

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 the government is a failure. It’s a failed administration.”

Gujarat BJP’s Minority Cell president Mehboob Ali Sufi Baba strongly objected to the portrayal of terrorists in this manner.

“This type of act sends a wrong message to the masses,” Baba said.

(With PTI inputs)

After skullcaps, Gujarat Police make ‘dummy terrorists’ shout Islamic slogans during mock drill

Gujarat police make dummy 'terrorists' wear Muslim skullcaps in mock anti-terror drill

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