The Hindu : Front Page : Mumbai-type threat: city police confident

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Thursday, Nov 26, 2009
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Mumbai-type threat: city police confident

Marri Ramu

HYDERABAD: With trained commando forces of different wings kept ready at different locations in battle-fit condition, police officers are confident of tackling any Mumbai-type terror strikes in the State capital, but what causes concern is the casualness of the general public in remaining alert to thwart such attacks.

The need for keeping the specially trained personnel ready to move in quickly for countering terror strikes was felt by the security managers in police agencies after a suicide bomber blew himself up at the Task Force office in 2005.

And the efforts to make people security-conscious began in right earnest after the bomb explosion in Mecca Masjid in May 2007 and the twin blasts at Gokul Chat and Lumbini Park, three moths later.

Last year’s terror strikes in Mumbai had spurred officials to get specially trained forces equipped with modern weapons. Exactly a year later, the city police say they are confident of tackling any emergency with units of National Security Guards, OCTOPUS, Greyhounds and a city police commando team being stationed in different locations in the city. All these units are highly trained and ready to move at short notice.

Conceding that the civil police do not have the wherewithal and training to counter terrorists, City Police Commissioner B. Prasada Rao feels the special commando forces equipped with modern weapons and using a special fleet of vehicles can successfully face any situation.

“Positioned in city central parts, they can reach any spot within minutes. Having been trained in house intervention and hostage-rescue operations, they can be relied upon,” he assures. But people’s cooperation to prevent such attacks, the security strategies adopted by managements of places like malls and co-ordination among different government wings are equally crucial, he feels.

The Cyberabad area which is a hub for IT-related projects, has several soft spots despite the preparedness of the police. Most of the hotels do not have mandatory metal detectors and even if they did their functional efficacy is questionable.

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