Attack made cops better equipped

Attack made cops better equipped

On the night of November 26, 2011, when 10 Pakistani gunmen attacked the city , the police were caught unawares. As the Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives rained bullets on Mumbaikars at Colaba, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Cama & Albless Hospital and Girgaum Chowpatty, 166 died and several others were and injured. As the police were not trained to fight terror, specialised forces such as the marine commandos and National Security Guards (NSG) were called in from Delhi. As they took time to reach Mumbai, precious time and lives were lost. “After the terror attacks, the state government took stock of the security system in the city and realised that the police were not equipped to take on a war-like situation,” said an officer from the director general of police’s office. Following a series of meetings, ministers and senior police officers found chinks in the coastal security, lack of advanced weaponry and trained officers. The 10 Pakistani terrorists had sailed to the city from Karachi, thus exposing the level of coastal security. Post-26/11, the Mumbai police introduced a dedicated marine wing, which coordinates with the Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy to secure the waters. They also purchased Sealegs Amphibious boats and speed boats. To counter the terrorists’ sophisticated weaponry, the police have equipped themselves with advanced weapons, including anti-materiel rifles and MP5 guns and trained their officers to be snipers. The police also proposed installing closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras across the city. A team of state officials and city police also visited London to study how their CCTV control room functions. The city police also set up special forces to combat terrorists. After 26/11, the central government played a crucial role in setting up an NSG base in Mumbai. While the Maharashtra Police set up its own Force One on the lines of NSG, the Mumbai Police created Quick Response Team (QRT) and Response 10. “So, now if a 26/11-like situation arises, first the Response 10, comprising officials from the local police station, will engage with the terrorists until the QRT arrives. But if the situation still goes out of control, Force One and then NSG will be brought in,” said the officer.