Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): In a first, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has appointed a Colonel rank Army officer in the police force to the rank of a Senior Superintendent to impart military-grade training to the cops in the union territory for fighting militants.
"In the interest of administration, sanction is hereby accorded to the appointment of Colonel Vikrant Prasher, Para, High Altitude Warfare School Gulmarg, from Indian Army as SSP (Training) & Special (Ops) in J&K Police, on deputation basis," says the order issued by Chandrekar Bharti, Principal Secretary to the Home department of Jammu and Kashmir.
The term of deputation of the officer in the police department will be for two years. "Pay matrix and all other allowance as admissible to Army officers of equivalent rank and status/seniority, performing duties in UT of J&K. The salary of the officer shall be drawn against deputation reserve post of J&K Police," the order says.
Top police officials are tight-lipped about the new development but a senior police officer said that the new police administration wants military-grade training for cops so that they are "super trained for counter-insurgency operations."
The High Altitude Warfare School is a defence service training and research establishment of the Indian Army. In 1948, the Indian Army established a ski school in Gulmarg that later became the High Altitude Warfare School, which specialises in snow–craft and winter warfare.
