Cops hold mock drill in Malerkotla

Personnel being trained to combat ‘armed terrorists’, rescue civilians

Our Correspondent

Malerkotla, Updated At : 06:42 AM Oct 28, 2024 IST

Police officials carry out a rescue operation during a mock drill in Malerkotla. Photo: Mahesh Sharma

Residents, commuters and passers-by witnessed an exciting first-hand experience of the local police being jolted into action after receiving information about ‘armed terrorists’ hiding inside a room on the campus of a state-run college here on Sunday. All this action was taking place as police personnel attended a mock drill, inside the boundary walls of a college, which was visible from outside the complex, too. The residents were especially enthused to witness the concluding part of the drill when police officials, taking swift action overpowered the ‘terrorists’ and brought them outside the premises. The drill was a unique learning experience for the police personnel, performing special duties during the festival season.

Cops prepare to enter a building during a mock drill at a college in Malerkotla. photo: Mahesh Sharma

After being imparted tips on various aspects of the mock drill about 10 civilians were asked to execute a terror attack and some were asked to pretend to have been abducted. The civilians were asked to lie down on the floor on the arrival of the deployed police officials for their rescue. Separate teams of the force were asked to enter the premises by crossing various phases of corridors and open areas.

The police officials later said it was a mock drill carried out to check the alertness of their personnel deployed for beefing up security during the festival season. SP (H) Swaranjit Kaur and DSP (Special) Ranjit Singh Bains directed the exercise, held under supervision of Malerkotla SSP Gagan Ajit Singh.

SSP Gagan Ajit Singh showed satisfaction over the performance of the personnel, including their reaction time, self-defence techniques and compliance with the set protocol of the mock terror attack drill.

The SSP claimed that the Malerkotla police was now conversant with the algorithm of response and reaction after receiving information of a terror attack.

“We have conducted an exercise to update our police personnel on how to react on receiving information about the presence of terrorists in a building where civilians may be captivated,” said the SSP.

Appreciating the promptness and responsiveness of the officials in dealing with the crisis DSP (Special) Ranjit Singh Bains, convener of the event, said the main objective of the exercise was to train them to practice security protocols in a quick and safe manner.