Rajesh Kumar Behera, Kendrapada, Orissa, India
The Indian Navy along with all the stakeholders on Wednesday embarked upon a two-day-long innovative mock exercise on encompassing possible infiltration of terrorists both by land and sea at Orissa sea coast, which is one of the vulnerable point regarding unabated exodus of Bangladeshi immigrants round the year, and how to respond to infiltration bid by terrorists.
The coastal security exercise would help assess efficacy of coastal security structure of the State. The State agencies would get opportunity to utilize the skills of reacting to emergency situation.
The joint exercise kicked off under the leadership of Commodore MVS Kumar (VSM), the Naval Officer In-charge of Orissa. Six war ships, 4 aircrafts and 25 marine commandos of Indian Navy and Coast Guard, besides State police, Marine Police, intelligence , Central Industrial Security Force, port officials, customs, fisheries, department jointly took part in this exercise which started on Wednesday, said Indian Navy sources.
While Indian Navy and Coast guard were in the attacking team, State security agencies like Police, marine police customs and the coastal people were in the defender team members.
Indian Navy sources informed that during this exercise, which would continue for more than 48 hours, mock infiltration bid by terrorists from seaward sneaked into the mainland simulated on Wednesday at Puri and requiring reaction from police, other officials have also been exercised on real time.
If sources are to be believed, in a part of Mock exercise, four sailors, disguised as ‘terrorists,’ tried to sneak into the Puri city via sea in a rickety boat were ‘nabbed’ by police . While one terrorist was nabbed inside the Puri temple by the state police another three were nabbed in the city. Later, the ‘terrorists’ were identified as sea warriors in civvies as part of the drill.
The sources said security was stepped up at all coastal districts in the State and in the city as part of the drill. police personnel were mobilised as part of the exercise which would help the police assess their strengths and weaknesses while dealing with emergency situations. Apart from mounting a strict surveillance on all vital installations, Quick Reaction Teams, patrol vehicles and manpower were strategically guarding important places. Gun-totting policemen were seen deployed all along the 482-km-long coastline in Orissa.
According to Naval sources, this year the coastal security has been tightened up than the last year . Last year , it was a cake walk to sneak into any coastal village of the state via sea route .But this time , the security has been tightened up and necessary arrangements have been taken for which our sailors were nabbed while they were trying to enter into Jagannath temple at puri . .
After the 2008 Mumbai attacks, the Indian Navy and the Indian Coastguard have joined hands to step up coastal security through constant patrolling of the territorial waters.
