UP Home Guards likely to be posted along Indo-Nepal border

"In a recent meeting with officials from the Centre, a proposal was mooted to engage 1,200 jawans of UP Home Guards in border security duties on the India-Nepal border during non-flood period of the year, and during floods, the jawans will be participating in flood relief operations," Surya Kumar Shukla, DG, Home Guards, told PTI today.

Shukla was in Kanpur yesterday to hold a review meeting.

"It will be a challenge for the home guards to guard Indo-Nepal border, as it is an open border, and there is no restriction of movement of people. The Home Guards are being imparted training in handling INSAS rifles. This will ensure effective action against anti-national elements at the India- Nepal border," he said.

The DG also said, "We are going to purchase INSAS rifles from government factories, and we will provide jawans for operational duties. As of now, as many as 1,200 home guard jawans have been trained in handling INSAS rifles. This will also prove effective in combating dreaded dacoits in ravines and other anti-dacoity operations. The training generally takes place in batches."

Shukla also informed that nearly 100 jawans of NDRF (National Disaster Relief Force) have been given accommodation at Home Guard headquarters to impart training to home guard jawans in flood-relief operations and other natural calamities. So far 1,200 jawans have already been trained in flood relief operations.