Enhanced counter-terror prep on Sambhajinagar cops’ radar

Chhatrapati.Sambhajinagar: The city police are planning to upgrade their preparedness for urban counter-terror and hostage situations after taking operational inputs from Maharashtra's elite Force One commandos, who recently conducted a mock drill at a star hotel in the city.The exercise, aimed at testing emergency response in a high-risk urban scenario, involved Force One commandos simulating a counter-terror operation inside the hotel premises while city police personnel observed the tactical procedures and coordination required during such incidents.City police commissioner Pravin Pawar said the exercise was part of a broader effort to strengthen the city police's capacity to respond to terror attacks or hostage crises in crowded urban spaces. "We invited the Force One team to conduct the drill and share their expertise with our personnel. Their operational experience in handling high-risk counter-terror situations will help us refine our preparedness and response mechanisms," Pawar said. Deputy commissioner of police (Zone I) Pankaj Atulkar said the drill helped the local police understand how specialised forces secure premises, rescue civilians and neutralise threats during a crisis."Urban locations like hotels, malls and other crowded areas require a quick and coordinated response. The demonstration by Force One has helped our officers understand the tactical aspects of such operations," he said.After the drill in the city, the Force One team also carried out a similar exercise on Thursday in coordination with the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar rural police led by superintendent of police Vinaykumar Rathod at the Ellora Caves, one of the world heritage sites located in the district. Following the exercise, officials from the city and rural police held a detailed debriefing session with the Force One commandos where the strengths, shortcomings and operational aspects observed during the mock drills were discussed.Deputy commissioner of police (crime) Ratnakar Navale, who previously served with Force One, said the feedback from the specialised unit would be used to strengthen local capabilities."Such drills help identify gaps in response and coordination. Based on the debriefing, the city police have decided to increase practice sessions of our local quick reaction teams on the lines of Force One so that our personnel are better prepared for urban counter-terror situations," he said.