Date:12/05/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/05/12/stories/2006051202560300.htm

Karnataka - Gulbarga

RAF personnel take out route march in Gulbarga, Jewargi

Special Correspondent

Aland, Afzsalpur, Sedam, Chincholi and Yadgir to be covered on Friday

Route march also taken out in Surpur, Shahapur and Chitapur
The personnel will take note of important installations and landmarks

The battalion took part in security duties during communal violence following Babri Masjid demolition

GULBARGA: Personnel from the 99th Battalion of the Rapid Action Force (RAF), in their battle fatigues, conducted a route march in thickly populated localities in Gulbarga city and Jewargi town on Thursday to acquaint themselves with the city and its landmarks to handle any emergency, including communal riots, and to initiate relief measures during natural disasters.

Jurisdiction

Gulbarga and three other districts in the State, four districts in Maharashtra and the entire Andhra Pradesh comes under the jurisdiction of the 99th Battalion of the RAF located in Secunderabad. In cases of emergency and natural disasters, personnel from the battalion are rushed to the areas immediately to tackle the situation.

Commandant Vijayalakshmi, who is heading a force of over 60 personnel from the RAF and who is on a six-day tour of the district from May 8, told The Hindu that this was a regular exercise carried out by the RAF in all its jurisdictional districts every year to identify landmarks and sensitive areas and acquaint itself with the area so that it may not face any hurdle in reaching out to the affected areas at times of emergencies.

Route map

She said that during the exercise, the armed personnel carried route maps and took note of all landmark buildings, including government offices, important business centres, railway stations and bus stations.

Commandant Vijayalakshmi said they also collected vital details about the composition of the population, the number of people living there, important schools and colleges and other infrastructure facilities in the area. She said the battalion formed in 1991 had taken part in security and bandobust duties during violence which followed the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya.

She said the force had already conducted route marches in Surpur, Shahapur and Chitapur taluks. On Thursday, they took out a route march in Gulbarga and Jewargi taluks while Aland, Afzsalpur, Sedam, Chincholi and Yadgir would be covered on Friday before the personnel return to their barracks in Secunderabad on May 15.

While Commandant Vijayalakshmi led the route march in Gulbarga city, Inspector Prem Thapar led the personnel in Jewargi town. The force is comprised of nine women and 55 men.