Armoured vehicles to combat terror
Ten months after the special cell of the Delhi Police rolled out its first batch of SWAT is now in talks to buy highly specialized armoured vehicles that are "compact" and can be deployed to keep a vigil in crowded areas.
By Dwaipayan Ghosh, TNN | Updated:
NEW DELHI: Ten months after the special cell of the Delhi Police rolled out its first batch of SWAT ( Special Weapons and Tactics) commandos, who were later deployed during the Commonwealth Games, the anti-terror unit is now in talks to buy highly specialized armoured vehicles that are "compact" and can be deployed to keep a vigil in crowded areas of the city such as busy market places.
"We are in talks with some firms to buy vehicles which can handle a 26/11-like situation. Most of these vehicles can not only withstand bullets but even minor blasts. Hence, they can be deployed in case there is a terror attack. They will also come in handy to scan VVIP routes,'' claimed an officer. Three of these vehicles were brought to the police headquarters on Monday for a pre-bid technical evaluation, said a senior officer. The move to purchase these vehicles comes just weeks after the city was shaken by a minor blast outside the High Court and a bomb scare outside Gargi College. "The city is facing no major threat. This is only an effort to increase our technical expertise,'' he said.
Having been training for the past two years, the skills of the 25 commandos, all below the age of 30, will be put to the test during the Independence Day celebrations later in August. "We already have six armoured cars for our special commandos. All of them are ready to face any kind of combat situation,'' said the officer. Besides the SWAT, Delhi Police also has 1000 commandos.
SWAT commandos have been trained on the lines of their American counterparts.
"We are in talks with some firms to buy vehicles which can handle a 26/11-like situation. Most of these vehicles can not only withstand bullets but even minor blasts. Hence, they can be deployed in case there is a terror attack. They will also come in handy to scan VVIP routes,'' claimed an officer. Three of these vehicles were brought to the police headquarters on Monday for a pre-bid technical evaluation, said a senior officer. The move to purchase these vehicles comes just weeks after the city was shaken by a minor blast outside the High Court and a bomb scare outside Gargi College. "The city is facing no major threat. This is only an effort to increase our technical expertise,'' he said.
Having been training for the past two years, the skills of the 25 commandos, all below the age of 30, will be put to the test during the Independence Day celebrations later in August. "We already have six armoured cars for our special commandos. All of them are ready to face any kind of combat situation,'' said the officer. Besides the SWAT, Delhi Police also has 1000 commandos.
SWAT commandos have been trained on the lines of their American counterparts.
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