Sherpa Spotted: CRPF set to induct heavy-armoured French vehicle

The paramilitary CRPF is set to induct heavy-armoured vehicle ‘Renault Sherpa’ for anti-militancy operations in Kashmir. The vehicle is one of the six versions of the Sherpa armoured vehicles manufactured by French company ‘Renault Trucks Defense’. “One Sherpa vehicle has been sent for repair,” Inspector General of Police, CRPF, Kashmir Operation Sector Deepak Ratan told Greater Kashmir. “We are taking a final call soon,” he said. On whether the vehicle had been inducted for operational purpose, Deepak said, “It is an operational matter and can’t be discussed.” The sources in CRPF said the vehicle had been inducted on a trial basis. “It will soon be inducted for operational purpose,” they said. “The vehicle is being tried in different terrains and will be inducted in the CRPF only after it meets the technical requirements,” the source said. The vehicle was spotted in Srinagar on Friday. Earlier, the vehicle was seen in Srinagar on 13 February 2018 during a gunfight between the forces and the militants in Karan Nagar area of the summer capital. In July 2016, after an attack on CRPF in which eight paramilitary personnel were killed, the force was equipped with heavily-armoured Mine Protected Vehicles (MPVs) that were earlier used for anti-Naxal operations. A senior Police officer here said that they had not spotted Sherpa vehicle in any gunfight so far. Official figures maintain that over 408 battalions (a battalion comprising 1000 men) have been deployed in Kashmir for law and order and operation purposes. Srinagar, the capital city has the largest presence of CRPF, followed by Anantnag. Greater Kashmir