Date:16/10/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/10/16/stories/2004101610990500.htm

Other States - Haryana

NSG launches anti-hijacking training

By Lalit K. Jha

MANESAR (HARYANA), OCT. 15. With aeroplanes being increasingly used for terrorist activities in recent years across the globe, the Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patil, today said there was a paramount need for aircraft intervention by security forces in the event of a hijack.

Mr. Patil was addressing National Security Guards (NSG) personnel here after inaugurating a realistic and durable model of an aircraft for practising anti-hijacking operations by commandos, the first of its kind model in India having all requisites for "effective training" of NSG commandos in "handling" hijack situations. The Home Minister appreciated "constant efforts" being made by the NSG to keep pace with the changing pattern of terrorist threats.

Referring to the successful deployment of sky marshals by NSG to prevent any hijacking by terrorists here, Mr. Patil said of late terrorists have used it as a weapon of terror. "Not only the 9/11 incident, but also the recent blowing up of two Russian aeroplanes on August 24 have shown that aviation security is still vulnerable," he observed.

Giving details of the new anti-hijacking training at its sprawling campus here, the NSG Director-General, R. S. Mooshahary, said instead of leasing an old aircraft, the force conceived, designed and built this realistic model which was much a more durable and manageable structure.

"This will enable our commandoes to practice by simulating real life situations for augmenting aircraft intervention capabilities," Mr. Mooshahary said. He said after the hijacking of IC-814 on December 24, 1999, the NSG has been bestowed the "responsibility of thwarting hijack incidents" by deployment of sky marshals on sensitive flights. "It is a matter of great satisfaction that no hijack incident has occurred since then," he noted.

Mr. Patil, who also witnessed a live demonstration of anti-hijacking operations of the NSG, appreciated the tough and rigorous commando training here, which has been recognised as a centre of excellence for VVIP security training. "Personnel from Sri Lanka, Mauritius and Myanmar have also received training here and trainees from Afghanistan and Uzbekistan would be coming here shortly," he said.

Referring to the National Bomb Data Centre here, which is one of the six such centres in the world, Mr. Patil said it carries out studies of explosives and tries to find means and methods to reduce their impact. The centre played a crucial role in neutralising live devises during the recent recovery of live explosives in metal scrap in Delhi and its neighbourhood.

Mr. Patil said the NSG decision to induct women commandos would make this elite force more gender representative. "I am told that women undergo the same tests as men and this shows the quality of their professional skills," he said.

The NSG will be celebrating its 20th Raising Day on Saturday and the President, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, will present the President's colour to the force at a function here.