Bomb disposal squad ill-equipped
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 26 2017: Many of the equipment currently used by Manipur Police Bomb Disposal (BD) Squad are said to be outdated .

Moreover, the State Government has been accused of doing noting for the welfare of officers and personnel of BD Squad .

Bomb suits and scanners currently used by trained personnel of BD Squad are said to be outdated.

They are so ill-equipped that have to buy high quality cutters at their own expense .

The bomb suits currently in use weigh around 25 Kgs and it is highly cumbersome for movement .

On the other hand, imported bomb suits used by army, paramilitary forces and police of other States weigh just around 12 to 15 Kgs.

These suits are also fitted with a cooling system, informed a source .

In case a bomb weighing just around 500 g explodes and hits a personnel of BD squad wearing the bomb suit currently in use, only the skeletons may be found .

The scanner is out of order and the bomb disposal box which should be drawn as a trailer can be drawn by tractor or similar vehicles.

As such, the bomb disposal box has been lying useless, said the source.

Apart from these sub-standard equipment, service conditions of personnel of BD Squad is even more pathetic .

Bomb disposal squads of the police forces of other States are entitled to risk allowance, promotion reser- vation, bomb detection and disposal allowance and other welfare schemes .

They are also provided modern equipment as well as logistic support .

However, for the BD Squad of Manipur, gazetted officers get monthly allowance of Rs 600, JCO's Rs 400 and others just Rs 300 .

Even if one gets injured, one must pay the medical bills from one’s own pocket as there is no provision for medical reimbursement .

BD Squad is attached to CID (Technical) and it operates all over the State .

Even though personnel of BD Squad have been working under highly risky condition, none of them have been ever conferred DG Recommendation Disk, Police Meritorious Award, Gallantry Award etc .

Manipur Police have been reformed several times apart from initiating a modernisation programme but BD Squad has been left out of all these exercises, added the source.

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