Army puts on hold training of troops in Chattisgarh base

New Delhi, Mar 22 (PTI) As it awaits the framing of
Rules of Engagement (RoE) by the Government on engaging
Maoists, Indian Army has put on hold training of its troops at
its bases in Chhattisgrah, a state of India, set up recently
in the naxal-infested areas.
The Army has set up a a Battle Manoeuvre Range and a
Special Forces Training Centre in Bastar District, which is
considered to be a hotbed of naxals.
"We are waiting for the Government to provide us
guidelines for dealing with the Naxals in that area. The
guidelines would be framed by the Ministry of Home Affairs
(MHA) and after that, they would be provided to the Army,"
Army sources said here.
The Army had sought the Rules of Engagements (RoEs)
from the Government to deal with situations where its troops
come under attack from naxals in the state.
The training of troops in the Abujhmarh area, which is
the hotbed of terrorists, they said, would start as soon as
the guidelines are provided to it.
The Army had sought the Rules of Engagement (RoE)
looking at a situation where somebody tries to instigate it by
trying to foray into these training areas.
"All that we are asking is what happens if we are
fired at and we fire back. How do you legally cover our
people... We all should know what are the do's and don'ts.
There is a need for clarification on this," Army chief General
V K Singh had said.
The Army chief had said his force didn't require
outside protection for its bases and it would be done by its
own troops only.
He said for the legal cover required for the troops to
be deployed in the region, the Army is "not looking at AFSPA
as we don't want to and will not operate in those areas. We
are only looking at training into the areas earmarked and the
base there."
A couple of years ago, after Maoists fired at IAF
helicopters in Chhattisgarh, government had allowed it to fire
back at Naxalites in case of an attack.