Gujarat cops make 'terrorists' wear skullcaps in drill

A video of police mock drill showing dummy militants shouting pro-Islamic slogan emerged on Thursday in Gujarat, a day after controversy erupted over men, playing the part of terrorists, being made to wear skullcaps in a similar exercise in Surat.

Reacting to the Surat episode that came to light on Wednesday, Chief Minister Anandi Patel admitted it as a ‘mistake’ to show people posing as terrorists in the drill in skullcaps.

The latest video is of another anti-terror mock drill at Narmada dam site in Kevadia area of Narmada district. It shows policemen holding two dummy terrorists who were shouting ‘take our lives, if you want. Islam Zindabad (long live Islam)’.

When contacted by PTI, Narmada Superintendent of Police Jaypalsinh Rathore said an inquiry will be conducted into the issue.

"I came to know about this incident (of projecting terrorists as Muslims) through media. If such an incident has happened, we will conduct an inquiry and take necessary actions against those responsible," he said.

"The mock drill was a routine police exercise which was conducted a week ago in Kevadia area," Rathore added. As the Surat episode generated controversy and invited criticism from several quarters, including from the chief of Gujarat Bharatiya Janata Party minority cell, Patel told a TV channel it is wrong to link religion with terrorism.

"It's wrong to link religion with terrorism. The issue has been resolved and the matter should be put to rest now. The mistake has been rectified," she said.

Meanwhile Pradeep Sejal, the superintendent of police (Surat rural), told The Telegraph that it was "an avoidable mistake that should not have happened" and confirmed that he has ordered an inquiry into the episode.

Sejal told the newspaper that it was possible that the skullcaps were used to differentiate the terrorists from the other police officers but "he made it clear that this wasn't the usual practice."

"When we carried out mock drills in malls, the dummy terrorists wore T-shirts and jeans," Sejal told The Telegraph.

The anti-terror drills were conducted ahead of the two high-profile events being held in the state -- Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (January 7 to 9) and Vibrant Gujarat Investors Summit (January 11 to 13) -- both in Gandhinagar.