Twenty-one Indian Police Service (IPS) trainees, including three women, from Sardar Vallabhbhai National Police Academy made a day’s visit to the district on Thursday to get a first-hand insight into coastal security.
The officers who had visited Gujarat and the Union territory of Daman and Diu, visited Rameswaram after completing a four-day stay in Madurai as part of their ‘Bharath Darshan’ during the training programme to understand the various strategies, methods and techniques adopted by police in different regions for controlling crime and maintaining law and order.
“We make it a point to visit Tamil Nadu, which is the front runner in many areas, including crime and criminal net tracking system and forensic sciences,” S. Ravindran, Deputy Director of the Police Academy, who accompanied the officers, said.
He said the officers had visited Madurai to study the Police Commissionerate system and the festival management during the annual Chithirai festival.
Collector K. Nanthakumar and Superintendent of Police N.M. Mylvahanan briefed them about the district in general and fishing conflict in the Palk Bay and coastal security in particular.
Tracing the history of Katchatheevu, the Collector explained them the conflict in fishing in the Palk Bay, especially around the islet.
Roles
Stating that the district had the longest coastline – 276 km – in the State, the SP detailed the roles played various intelligence agencies, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), the Coastal Security Group (CSG) and the local police, in maintaining coastal security to prevent any intrusion through the sea route and curb smuggling activities.
As Sri Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram could be a target for terror attack, a company of Tamil Nadu Special Police and Quick Rapid Team had been posted there, Mr. Mylvahanan said.
Accompanied by him, the trainee officers later visited the Mandapam Station of the ICG, the Marine Police station and the temple.
