Real combat experience a challenge for agencies equipped to tackle terror

The Quick Response Team (QRT), which existed before 26/11 but was ill-trained, got a major overhaul following the attack and is now the first agency meant to take on terrorists in case of an attack till Force One arrives as per the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).

The Goregaon-headquartered Force One spread across 96 acres that started out with nearly 300 commandos is now led by Additional Director General (ADG) Krishna Prakash.

While Prakash did not respond to calls and messages, sources said that the commandos are regularly trained and are adept at taking on terrorists like the ones that attacked the city 15 years ago.

Senior officers now say that the challenge before the government is to ensure that Force One commandos are kept positively engaged with real world combat. An official said, “Resources have been spent to create a highly trained commando force to take on the terror attack like the one in 26/11. However, since such an incident has not taken place ever since, steps are taken to ensure that they are ready to take on such a situation any time.”

Vappala Balachandran, former special secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, who was also a member of the Ram Pradhan Committee, said, “All special forces across the world, such as the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) in the US, are generally used for normal policing duty so that they don’t rust out. The SWAT teams in the US keep their gear/kits in the nearest police facility and then perform normal police duty. However, they undergo frequent physical fitness tests.”

The former officer added that at one point, even Maharashtra police that had specialised commandos who were motorcycle-borne, used them for normal policing. “They soon became completely involved in day-to-day policing and their aspect of maintaining their fitness was forgotten. So they have to be in touch with regular policing but not totally engrossed in it,” he added.

The Ram Pradhan Committee report had mentioned that while the QRT was present during the attack, the officers had not fired a round for more than a year due to shortage of ammunition. It also mentioned that they could not make an impact as they were not used as one team and individual officers were sent to various spots of attack. “However, after the attacks, there was an overhaul of the QRT and at present, they are highly trained and will be the first line of attack in case of a terror attack, following which Force One will take over,” the officer said.

In 2019, an advertising campaign featuring Amitabh Bachchan was launched in theatres that introduced the Mumbai QRT.

The QRT is divided into six units, with the main one stationed at Kalina and five others at each regional control room in the city — South, Central, West, East and North.

The main unit works under the supervision of additional commissioner of police (protection & security). Regional QRT works under the supervision of Regional additional commissioner of police.

They report to joint commissioner (law & order) Satyanarayan Choudhary.