The Nilgiris District Superintendent of Police, Murali Rambha, has instructed tourists and people residing in Gudalur, Pandalur and Masinagudi to not venture into forests wearing camouflage fatigues, as they could be confused to be Maoists by police.
Mr. Rambha was responding to questions from reporters, after the Naxal Special Division and Special Task Force police began conducting combing operations after a group of men, sporting a country-made rifle were reportedly seen near Thorapalli a few days ago. Mr. Rambha said that tourist resorts, hotel owners and vehicle drivers to pass on the information to tourists to not wear camouflage fatigues near the reserve forests to prevent them from being confused with Maoists, police or forest department personnel.
The District Superintendent of Police launched six highway patrol vehicles that have been fitted with Global Positioning Systems (GPS) that will be used to monitor the vehicles from a control room in the District SP office, and quickly dispatch the vehicles to any location in case of an emergency based on how close the vehicles are to the location. The patrol vehicles, which can be remotely monitored, with the use of the GPS devices, can be sent to an accident spot in the shortest possible time, cutting average response times, said Mr. Rambha.
The vehicles have also been fitted with LED displays which would sport road safety awareness messages to motorists.
