A total of 200 Uttar Pradesh police personnel trained in counterterror operations by the National Security Guard (NSG) will secure the Ayodhya Ram temple. Top officials from the NSG confirmed to CNN-News18 that these commandos have been trained in counterterror, room intervention, hostage rescue, motorcade operations, and personnel security. The newly trained force could take over from the CRPF around January 22, the day of the consecration ceremony at the grand temple.
“When the Akshardham temple in Gujarat was attacked, one of the lessons learnt was that forces failed to localise the terrorists. The UP police has been trained by NSG to localise, to pin down the intruders to a specific area, so that they don’t run amok and cause extensive damage," an officer familiar with the training told CNN-News18.
‘Kasab nabbed by Maharashtra police constable’
While ordinarily central forces would have taken up the role of guarding a temple as sensitive as the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, officials said chief minister Yogi Adityanath expressed full confidence in the ability of the state police and the Special Security Force created by Uttar Pradesh Police. “It is a model that other states also should follow. SSF has raised five battalions and ultimately the local police is best suited to deliver immediately in a crisis. Kasab was ultimately nabbed by a local Maharashtra constable," an officer of the security grid told CNN-News18, referring to the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
A second officer explained the need for NSG-like commando training. “Threat perception of Ayodhya is such that UP police felt the need for a counterterror force and not a static duty force like CISF, which excels in guarding vital installations," the official said.
The training
The first batch of 50 personnel of UP police was trained by the NSG over the last fortnight under its capacity-building programme. Subsequently, 200 constables, head constables, sub-inspectors, and inspectors have been trained, all in the under-35 age group. NSG officials said they could send their trainers to UP since the demand to train more has come from the state.
Under the counterterror training, the commandos have been given specific training for QRT (quick response in case of an attack), driving a motorcade, escaping with the VIP in case the motorcade is attacked, and dodging the intruder if an attack happens. Small calibre weapon training has been given, officials said, because, in a crowded place like a temple, the chances of an assault rifle bullet going astray are higher. “While the terrorist might carry an assault rifle, the commando is trained to carry a small calibre weapon but hit the target with precision," an official explained.
Additionally, the personnel of UP police will also ensure access control, frisking of visitors and perimeter security at the soon-to-be-inaugurated temple complex. So far the CRPF is responsible for perimeter security of the temple area after a supreme court order. Officials said the special UP police force will take over from CRPF ahead of the pran pratishtha (consecration).
The Ayodhya airport security has been handed over to the CISF but UP police is training its special force in a way that it can eventually take over the guarding of not just the temple complex but also all vital installations in the holy town, officials said.
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