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Andhra Pradesh police get new anti-terrorism SWAT in Ongole
Kaushal said the SWAT team, like National Security Guards and Octopus (Organisation for Counter-Terrorist Operations), would be specially trained in countering the terrorist operations, which were being spread from cities to towns and villages.
The Andhra Pradesh government on Friday launched a specialised anti-terrorist unit in the police department with its base in Ongole of Prakasam district.
At present, the Special Weapon and Tactics Team (SWAT) teams are present in Haryana, Punjab, Karnataka and Delhi.
“Now, it is being set up for the first time in the Telugu states with an objective of facing any type of critical situation arising out of terrorist attacks, causing a threat to public safety and security,” Prakasam’s superintendent of police Siddharth Kaushal said.
Kaushal said the SWAT team, like National Security Guards and Octopus (Organisation for Counter-Terrorist Operations), would be specially trained in countering the terrorist operations, which were being spread from cities to towns and villages.
The SWAT team comprises 26 police personnel, who have been selected after a tough test.
“They were trained for four months on a similar line of training given to counter-insurgency forces. They were given training in maintaining special physical fitness, urban movement techniques and closed quarters battle (CQB), bombs and breaching, communication and firing tactics,” Kaushal said.
The commandos were given training in firing assault rifles like AK-47, MP5, Glock pistol and sniper rifles.
“They were imparted skills in tactical firing, moving firing, cover to cover firing etc. The training was given for a period of nine months,” he said.
Director general of police Gautam Sawang, who was the chief guest at the launch of the SWAT team, appreciated the efforts of the team members.
Sawang said the SWAT team would be expanded to all the districts in future, in view of the terrorist threat to the state.
