KASHMIR NEWS OBSERVER
The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) will get bullet-proof buses for its movement in Jammu and Kashmir, reports The New Indian Express. To begin with, two prototypes are currently on trial in valley.
This step as per the CRPF officials have been taken after militants targeted buses to inflict casualties on government forces. The number of buses will be finalized after the trial and feedback.
According to reports, the Ministry of Home Affairs has authorised the CRPF to undertake bullet-proofing of 100 existing convoy buses, for which `10 crore has been granted.
The ministry has also granted permission for procurement of 230 bullet-proof Light Utility Vehicles at an estimated cost of `115 crore, 10 mine-protected vehicles worth `15 crore and four bullet-proof critical care ambulances each worth `1 crore. In addition, `80 lakh has been sanctioned for designing an anti-riot vehicle specifically for the Valley to combat stone pelters.
The ministry has also directed the CRPF to strengthen Road Opening Patrols in vulnerable areas to avoid terror attacks on convoys.