Title - Rebel training on cards for RPF

Dhanbad, Aug. 10: The new chief security commissioner of East Central Railway, A.K. Pathak, is planning to groom Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel under his jurisdiction into a formidable force that can take on Naxalites.

Pathak, who took charge on August 7, said that he was committed to reining in rebel attacks in his zone. “We will co-ordinate with state police, CID and top government officials to ensure that the railways remains safe,” he said.

The senior railway official also said that RPF personnel would be trained like paramilitary troops and bomb disposal squads would be constituted in many areas. This apart, he promised to upgrade RPF gear during his tenure.

“Unless security personnel are equipped with latest gadgets and arms, they cannot fight criminals and Naxalites, who target railways from time to time,” said the chief security commissioner.

He added that tenders to revamp RPF gear were floated in the past, but were never executed.

After taking commando training in 1992 at BSF camp in Hazaribagh, Pathak went on to join engineering services and later moved to RPF.