Bomb squad gets refresher course

MUMBAI, June 27: Seven years after the city's first bomb squad was set up, the man who was assigned for the task says the police force is...

MUMBAI, June 27: Seven years after the city8217;s first bomb squad was set up, the man who was assigned for the task says the police force is prepared to face any kind of threat in wake of the Kargil situation.

Additional Commissioner of Police, Armed Forces, Raj Khilnani, was deputy commissioner of police when he was asked to set up the Mahrashtra8217;s first bomb detection and disposal squad in 1992. 8220;Before that we had to ask for help from the civil aviation department8217;s bomb squad run by the Government of India,8221; he said.

So while reported ISI threats, bomb hoaxes and rumours do the rounds, four inspectors, 15 sub-inspectors, 62 constables and head constables along with Heena, Leah, Laika, Soni, Sunny, Zanjeer and Don all sniffer dogs work round-the-clock maintaining a vigil over the city.

Twelve-day refresher courses on weapon handling for protection duty are also on at the Naigaon police headquarters for selected constables and head constables. The courses began as three-day modules a few months agoafter the failed murder attempt on former mayor Milind Vaidya when his bodyguards reportedly failed to retaliate in the required manner. Seventy-two men have completed the refresher course which includes armed combat and fighting during twilight.

8220;The moment the word bomb8217; is mentioned, it creates panic and fear among the public even if the object spotted is small. What is normally found by our squad are improvised explosive devices IEDs or sutli bombs crudely made bombs which resemble massive Diwali crackers. The ingredient is mainly potassium chlorate, gunpowder or gelatine. How much damage these can cause depends on the size and condition of the material used,8221; informed Khilnani, adding that the real threat is posed by RDX which is usually procured from abroad and which ripped the city apart in 1993.

Explosive material is available with licensed vendors as it has legitimate uses in areas like quarrying and construction activities. 8220;Though there are laws that regulate their sale, mischief-makersmanage to lay their hands on it,8221; he said.

Once the bomb squad is summoned in an area, it uses a portable X-Ray machine to check the contents of the object and a stethoscope to check the ticking of a clock in case of time-bombs. A trolley and basket is used to pick the bomb and move it to an open area and a blanket made of special fibre material is used to cover it so that the effect of the explosion is limited. A shotgun is then used to blast the device. A robot is often used for help in the entire operation. Safety gadgets and suits are provided for the men and all of them are covered by an insurance policy.

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8220;Disposing a bomb is more precision oriented and a risky job,8221; said Khilnani adding that several of his men suffered in landmine blasts in Naxal-infested jungle areas when he was posted there.

Khilnani says that there have been no increase in calls for the bomb squad considering the reported ISI threat in the city. 8220;Though most calls are hoaxes, we cannnot function with that assumption. Thejob is tedious because we can take no chances,8221; he adds. 8220;The police on the coastline in areas like Haji Ali and Versova are constantly on alert for consignments from abroad. They have formed committees of local fishermen and others residing along the coast to identify alien vessels.8221;