The police will deploy a trained team of women civil police officers (CPOs) along with their male counterparts from the Armed Reserve Battalion to tackle the agitation by anti-GAIL pipeline activists at Mukkom. As many as 66 women CPOs will complete their intensive training in effective mob control and self-defence tactics at Mukkom on Saturday.
Thamarassery Deputy Superintendent of Police P.C. Sajeevan said the training for women CPOs, including new recruits and seniors, was held following information that there would be more women protesters in the agitation. So all arrangements have been taken to handle the protests peacefully with the support of these trained crew, he said.
The three-day training camp is being held under the leadership of senior women police officers. The anti- GAIL pipeline activists have decided to intensify their stir from December 19. The police have got Intelligence inputs on the possibility of well-planned violence in the name of the agitations and the need to to avert it.
Police sources said the women CPOs would be experts in handling grenades, tear gas shells and other tactics to handle the violent mob. They would be deployed at the possible spot of agitation at Eranhimavu in Mukkom till the complete withdrawal of the protesters, they confirmed.
Stir takes violent turn
One of the mass agitations earlier led by the people’s action committee had turned violent and the police had acted tough against those who had vandalised vehicles and obstructed the pipe-laying work. It had also sparked a controversy as many social and political activists alleged police brutality in the incident.
Meanwhile, leaders of the Anti-GAIL Action Committee came out against the preparations being made by the police to “suppress a mass agitation”.
They claimed that the police were trying to portray a reasonable agitation in society as violence and try to suppress it with their force.
“We are not going to back out from the agitation seeing these power tactics, special trainings and threats. As decided, women and children will take part in the protest and the committee will finalise the plans at a special meeting on Sunday,” said C.P. Cheriyamohammed, State convener of the committee.
He made it clear that the protesters would never resort to any aggressive mode of campaigns without the provocation of the police.
