Forest Department staff in Andhra Pradesh is undergoing weapon training to effectively tackle the threat posed by red sander smugglers, who have of late resorted to attacking forest and police personnel.
Forest Department personnel from seven forest divisions of Tirupati, Chittoor, Kadapa, Proddatur, Nandyal, Rajampet and Nellore are being trained to operate .303 rifles and other weapons as part of the two-week training organised by AP Police at the Police Training College in Tirupati.
With forest personnel all set to get weapons to curb red sander smuggling, the aim is to first train them on all aspects of weapons, which will enhance their efforts to check illegal felling and smuggling of red sanders trees and also enable them to retaliate in self-defence if they come under attack from smugglers, forest and police officials said.
"Our people are not trained in using weapons and now that when you are providing them with arms it is necessary that they must know how to handle and use them. They should also be made aware of various provisions governing the use of the arms and hence we are preparing the forest staff in handling of weapons," a senior forest official told PTI.
"The plan is to initially train 250 forest officials and the first batch consisting of 130 staff has already completed its training. The feedback we are getting is that they are happy with the training," he said, adding "If the situation demands they (forest department personnel)will open fire in self-defence".
The official said they were also in the process of procuring arms, but till then the Police Department will be provide weapons and firearms to them.
Two forest officials were killed by red sander smugglers in Chittoor district in December last year. Smugglers also attacked joint patrolling teams of police and forest officials in Chittoor and Kadapa districts with stones and axes over the past one week.
