HYDERABAD: In what will be their first major assignment, the recently-formed Hyderabad City Rapid Action Force (HCRAF), the special wing of the Hyderabad City Police, will be pressed into service during the upcoming Assembly elections.
It was just a few months ago, in a first for the country, the Hyderabad city police launched the CRAF wing, comprising specially trained personnel, to deal with emergency situations in the city. Now the force is being readied to be deployed in the sensitive localities to prevent any untoward incidents during December 7 elections in the city.
A senior police officer informed Express that the City Rapid Action Force that is created to deal with riots, riot-like situations, crowd control, rescue and relief operations and related unrest, are being trained with experts in handling emergency situations during the Assembly elections in the city.
Police wings like Greyhounds and Octopus are providing regular training to the members of this force and making them physically and mentally fit to deal with any kind of trouble in sensitive localities of the city. The wing was formed with 40 specially-trained police constables, including 20 male and 20 female personnel, will be equipped with non-lethal weapons but well trained to deal with any kind of trouble. “The team from this CRAF would be kept in readiness for rapid deployment as and when situation demands. CRAF will be deployed only on the orders of the Commissioner of Police on specific duties and normally not deployed for long duration,” the official informed.
“The wing members are being trained to deal with communal violence, law and order duties and election duties. With the Assembly elections scheduled to be held on December 7, we have trained them well to deal with different aspects like guard polling stations, storerooms, counting centres and in quick intelligence gathering on violations of law and order. A Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) or Inspector rank of the officer will monitor the wing members during emergencies based on advise of Police Commissioner,’’ he added.
Apart from physical training, the senior police officials have also decided to provide theoretical session for members on election procedure, possible issues to be erupted in creating law and order problems, how to cope up situations in emergencies, protecting public properties during communal riots and others.