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KOLKATA: The state government is setting up a specialised coastal commando force, one of the very few such police units in the country. The first batch of 120 hand-picked policemen has just returned after quietly training with the elite Marine Commandos of the Indian Navy.
Writers' Buildings is yet to officially christen this elite force, but their area of operation has more or less been laid out — Bengal's coastline and the tough-to-guard riverine areas. It is an indication of the heightened threat perception in Bengal after the Mumbai 26/11 attack. The state government has been so secretive about this force that no one got wind of a recent visit by a high-level Marcos team to the SAP barracks.
The recruits for the gruelling training course were picked from the State Armed Police (SAP). "The first batch of four teams (30 each) has been training under the Marcos at Vizag since September last year, so that they would be ready by Republic Day," a senior official at Writers' said. They have been trained in boarding a suspect or hostile craft and neutralising threats.
State director general of police Bhupinder Singh explained the urgent need for "marine commandos" in Bengal. "The state has a long coastline that has been lying unprotected. We are setting up a lot of infrastructure for sea vigil. We have coastal thanas, special equipment and interceptor boats. But the special forces and commandos at our disposal are essentially oriented for land operations. They would be scared of the water and would find themselves total misfits when asked to tackle a ship hijack or any other sea attack," he told TOI.
These commandos will be sent to the coastal thanas as and when necessary. They are currently lodged at the SAP in Barrackpore, North 24-Parganas. "The commandos will operate closely with the coast guard within 12 nautical miles from the coast. The Navy takes over beyond this jurisdiction," an official said.
The DGP said they plan to train eight such teams. The commandos will get two interceptor boats to begin with and two more are on their way from the Garden Reach Ship Builders and Engineers. "A very special expertise is needed to handle these vessels. If there is any attack in the future, ordinary policemen will not know how to use these boats for rescue operations," he said.
After the 26/11 attacks, the home ministry had offered 80 fast interceptor boats for coastal vigilance by police forces. Bengal had ordered 18 of these
Coastal Commandos for Bengal
Writers' Buildings is yet to officially christen this elite force, but their area of operation has more or less been laid out — Bengal's coastline and the tough-to-guard riverine areas. It is an indication of the heightened threat perception in Bengal after the Mumbai 26/11 attack. The state government has been so secretive about this force that no one got wind of a recent visit by a high-level Marcos team to the SAP barracks.
The recruits for the gruelling training course were picked from the State Armed Police (SAP). "The first batch of four teams (30 each) has been training under the Marcos at Vizag since September last year, so that they would be ready by Republic Day," a senior official at Writers' said. They have been trained in boarding a suspect or hostile craft and neutralising threats.
State director general of police Bhupinder Singh explained the urgent need for "marine commandos" in Bengal. "The state has a long coastline that has been lying unprotected. We are setting up a lot of infrastructure for sea vigil. We have coastal thanas, special equipment and interceptor boats. But the special forces and commandos at our disposal are essentially oriented for land operations. They would be scared of the water and would find themselves total misfits when asked to tackle a ship hijack or any other sea attack," he told TOI.
These commandos will be sent to the coastal thanas as and when necessary. They are currently lodged at the SAP in Barrackpore, North 24-Parganas. "The commandos will operate closely with the coast guard within 12 nautical miles from the coast. The Navy takes over beyond this jurisdiction," an official said.
The DGP said they plan to train eight such teams. The commandos will get two interceptor boats to begin with and two more are on their way from the Garden Reach Ship Builders and Engineers. "A very special expertise is needed to handle these vessels. If there is any attack in the future, ordinary policemen will not know how to use these boats for rescue operations," he said.
After the 26/11 attacks, the home ministry had offered 80 fast interceptor boats for coastal vigilance by police forces. Bengal had ordered 18 of these
Coastal Commandos for Bengal
