The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Email threat: police form quick reaction squads

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jan 08, 2009
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Email threat: police form quick reaction squads

M.T. Shiva Kumar

Top IT companies had sought police protection in view of increased threat perception

It will be a strike force with 90 members handpicked for the task
The force has been divided into three teams for ‘IT corridor’

BANGALORE: The city police have formed a quick reaction squad (QRS) to provide security to the information technology companies in the city.

Six IT companies in the city, including Infosys and Wipro, said they had received email threatening to blow up their facilities. In the wake of these threats, the police formed the QRS, an exclusive striking force, currently numbering 90 members.

“The Police Department has been intensifying security across the city, especially on the IT Corridor. Hence we have established QRS,” M.R. Pujar, Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order), told The Hindu here on Wednesday.

The QRS members have been handpicked, well armed and divided into three units — one for the International Tech Park (ITPL), one for the Electronics City while the third will be deployed on the Outer Ring Road near HSR Layout, where a large number of software firms are functioning, said Mr. Pujar.

According to the officer, apart from Karnataka State Reserve Police, members of this force had been trained by the Greyhounds Training Academy, an elite commando training unit in Andhra Pradesh, apart from the Indian Army and National Security Guards.

Meanwhile, in regard to the email threats themselves, no arrests have been made. “We are investigating and have detained a few people. We have instructed cyber café owners to ask strangers for their IDs,” said a police officer.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka