Date:19/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/19/stories/2008101955160300.htm

Other States - Orissa

AET Malkangiri centre renamed

Staff Reporter

It is named after reserve inspector killed in landmine blast

Till now, 424 commandos have passed out from this training centre
These commandos have to undergo intensive training and are put on jungle camps

BERHAMPUR: The Anti-Extremist Training (AET) centre in naxal infested Malkangiri was renamed after Reserve Inspector, Sarat Chandra Mishra.

Mishra had laid down his life along with 16 brave commandos in a landmine blast during an anti-naxal operation in the Malkangiri district on July 16.

This renaming was declared on Saturday during the passing out of ninth batch of AET trainees from one of its kind police commando training centre in the State . The ex-officio principal of the AET centre, the Malkangiri Superintendent of Police (SP), Satish Kumar Gajbhiye took the salute in the passing out parade of these 35 trainees. These elite constables with commando training would join elite Special Operation Group (SOG) force in the State.

Training

Till now, 424 commandos have passed out from this training centre. This centre was inaugurated in 2003 as the AET centre for the entire State.

Earlier the commandos were getting trained at Greyhound Training Centre, Andhra-Pradesh which was both costly and delayed process. The training in the Malkangiri AET centre basically follows ‘Andhra Grey Hound’ pattern. But over a period the training has evolved to suit the needs of the State.

Malkangiri police now has musical troupe ‘Arakshi Jhankar’ as response to the ‘Jana Natya Mandalis’ of naxals.

Mr. Gajbhiye said the commandos have to undergo vigorous training in anti-extremist as well as practical. They have to go through a period of intensive training of physicalexercise, arms expertise, map reading, field craft and knowledge about insurgent organisation etc.

To make them fit for jungle warfare they are put in jungle camps for 5 days where they have to survive with bare minimum necessities.

They remain in single uniform without bath for five days. Only 500 grams rice, pickle sachets and tea becomes only source of food for the period. They are trained to withstand stringent conditions in the jungle with minimum necessities.

Besides that they also get trained in modern navigation systems like LRP/SRP and GPS.