The security set-up of business houses have been a source of concern. Most business houses engage private guards. In order to overcome this problem, more than 50 lakh security guards across the country will now undergo training developed by the Israeli defence forces called Krav Maga.

Ultimate Tactical and Combat Private Limited (UTCPL), a company which also provides training to specialised forces like Tihar jail police and SWAT teams, will train the guards. “One cannot deploy policemen at each and every house but since there are a large number of security guards who are engaged by private business houses, they can be trained to be more professional in case of any attack from terrorists or criminals. They can act as first line of defence,” said Kunwar Vikram Singh of Central Association of the Private Security Industry (CAPSI).

“Krav Maga emphasises training that will enable guards to execute appropriate tactics and defensive techniques in a timely manner with or without the use of force,” said Vikram Kapoor, MD of UTCPL. Experts claimed that the programme has been designed in association with the Security and Protection Training School in Israel and the guards after screening will be trained by Israeli commandos. The training will be devised according to the unit’s operation purpose.

NEW DELHI: The Delhi police have set up a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team as part of their renewed counter-terror measures. Created some months ago in the wake of the 26/11 terror attack in Mumbai, the team has been participating in mock security drills being carried out in the city as part of its training.

The unit at present comprises about 40 young recruits, mostly in their early 20s.

The SWAT commandos have undergone rigorous training in handling of sophisticated weapons and most have been armed with AK assault rifles.

The SWAT members, who will be armed with sophisticated light-weight weapons in future, are also being trained in hostage and crisis negotiation techniques. They are being taught ways to access a target, conduct searches and rescue operations and carry out close combats. In the recently conducted mock drills in the city, the unit headed most of the operations.

It is learnt that the unit members are also being trained in Krav Maga technique of hand-to-hand combat that focuses on tactical defence skills. It is expected to prepare them for threat neutralisation through simultaneous use of offensive and defensive moves in real-life situations. The technique was first introduced in Israel for providing combat training to security, intelligence and law enforcement agencies.

“If required, the unit members will also be trained by National Security Guard (NSG),” said a senior police officer, adding that details of the components of the SWAT unit are yet to be finalised.

Another police officer suggested that the specialised unit can be exposed to the experiences of the SWAT units of other countries. “They need to interact with SWAT teams from other countries to know more about their tactics while carrying out operations on the ground. Joint exercises should also be carried out for practical knowledge. They should be apprised of details of previous operations against terrorists to enrich their experience,” said the police officer

Apart from the specialised unit, newly recruited and young constables from all the districts are being imparted 45-day commando training at the Police Training College as part of the counter-terror initiatives. A 10-day refresher course in commando training is also being conducted for others.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/

Photos: Krav Maga Photos Gallery Swat Police training in Krav Maga

On the night of November 26, when terrorists stormed the Taj, in a room on one of the floors, there was one of India Inc’s bright young beacons lying on the floor, alive, but terrified, confused and unsure. Next to him on the floor lay others, some bleeding, others perhaps weeping… A wall away, they could hear the crack of assault rifles, the cries of victims as they crashed lifeless in corridors and rooms and the deafening sound of explosions.

As the acrid smell of the carnage wafted in with the smoke, panic set in. How much longer before the terrorists enter our room? Will they kill us all? What do we do? Questions raged in every head, including the young CEO’s… “We did not know what to do? We tried barricading ourselves inside the room… but it was rather flimsy…” he said on TV, after he was rescued the next day. He thanked providence and his spiritual practice for carrying him through those harrowing hours, for there was little else to bank on.

That same evening, in another part of the hotel, seven South Africans were dining in one of the restaurants when they heard gun shots inside the hotel. When they realised that there were terrorists in the hotel, they spoke to the other diners and told them who they were – bodyguards in the country on an assignment, protecting international cricketers – and explained that they had the training to handle this situation. “People remained calm”, one of them told a news channel, as they moved more than a hundred people out of the restaurant. “…it had a large glass area which could have been dangerous…” They switched off the lights to retain the element of surprise and then the other guests were herded into a conference room which was then barricaded by the South Africans with relatively sturdy objects like refrigerators and heavy tables. The bodyguards had armed themselves with what they could – cleavers and knives and were considering various possibilities when they realised that the building was on fire. They knew they had to evacuate, checked to see if it was ‘all clear’, got word through to the security personnel that they shouldn’t shoot and finally through the fire exit, guided 120 hostages to safety (including an old woman who was carried in a chair, down 25 flights of stairs!)

I heard about both these incidents on the same day and the contrast hit me hard between the eyes. Our young CEO was lucky, but there were many others who stumbled upon their deaths because while they too did not know what to do next, unlike the CEO, the dice just didn’t roll their way. And yet, I have a feeling that if there were a handful of other professionals like these South African heroes – people who had some notion of what could be done to save their own lives and those of others around them, perhaps many more would’ve walked out alive from the Taj.

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again – we are a people under siege and we’re practically on our own. It took a nine hour long ‘quick reaction’ for our commandos to be brought to location (and that they had to be brought there in ‘BEST’ buses, tells you about India’s ‘most terrorised’ city’s levels of preparedness). You might rant and rave, and light enough candles to pave the Marine Drive with wax, but you can bet your last recession-hit rupee on it that nothing, absolutely nothing is going to change if anybody with a voice (and that’s not you or me) in this great dysfunctional democracy can help it. There could be more terrorists tomorrow, and there could be more bombs; there could be cyclones, tsunamis and earthquakes, but help would only reach once it’s too late for most.

But we can’t remain helpless, at the mercy of the guy with the gun, whichever side he might be on. Just like the South Africans, instead of letting ‘terror’ paralyse us, surely, we too can prepare ourselves for such an eventuality. I wanted to know if there was anything I could do if I was stuck in a burning building with ruthless gunmen on the prowl? Is there anything we could do to hold the fort and save lives (including my own) until help finally arrived? Turns out, yes, we can…

I asked two of India’s most well known security consultants and martial artists – SWAT and Krav Maga Chief Instructor (India) and veteran Karateka Vicky Kapoor and Shaolin and Police Kung Fu and Kali Master Kanishka Sharma – the same question: what can a lay civilian can do in a 26/11 scenario? Apparently, conscription helps. A country that has had to fight insurgency almost since the day it was born would obviously do well if every citizen was also a soldier. “…it builds a sense of nationhood… makes you more aware as citizens”, says Kapoor. Well, but that’s not an option for now… what else?

“Be aware!”, echoed both masters. Here, it would be pertinent to note that both have been responsible for giving extensive close quarter combat (CQC) training to various law enforcement agencies, the military and some of its elite units. It seemed a generic directive, but as the South Africans proved, it was the one trait – being aware of one’s environment (moving away from glass areas, fire, checking for exits, and finding resources for barricading an area) that saved more than a 100 lives.

“Secondly, you should always stay low – you might escape both bullets and heavy smoke”, urged Vicky Kapoor. “Krav Maga (used by the Israeli Defence units) was designed to counter hostage situations”, he elaborated, as he showed us how he would’ve handled armed hostage takers even if handcuffed “and while most Israelis would’ve made difficult hostages because they’ve served in the army and trained in CQC, most of us Indians are neither trained nor aware. Even if you can’t get army training, every school, RWA and organisation should run programmes that run basic first aid. Doctors trapped in one of the hotels saved the lives of a wounded few with basic first aid techniques. Perhaps many others could’ve been saved. Teach people what to do in case of a fire or an earth quake. Offices have fire extinguishers but who knows how to use them? In case of a fire or explosion, more might die in a stampede. Simple evacuation drills could save lives. Martial skills could be infinitely useful, but the rest is basic and should be mandatory training for each and every Indian. Wake up, and take charge of your lives. No one else would do it for you”, he concluded. Incidentally, Vicky Kapoor has been training security teams in some prominent hotel chains in the aftermath of 26/11. Kanishka echoed the same thoughts. “We’re usually too busy walking like zombies to notice our surroundings. Why is that man so nervous? Whose bag is that? Where are the exits? Which is the closest hospital? I’m not saying you should be in a state of paranoia 24/7, but be aware of your surroundings. And be careful before you start a self defense course to prepare yourself for hostage situations. They work…” he said as he demonstrated how even an unarmed hostage could, at the right moment, “with the right training”, disarm an armed assailant and get out alive “… but you must understand that combat martial styles, like Kali (a martial art used by the Filipino Marines) begin where most martial sports (Tae kwon do and sport Karate are sports which’ve banned lethal techniques, focusing instead on scoring points) end. Their aim is to train to finish the opponent (even if armed), not score points and this distinction is very important when you choose a martial art for self defense. Presence of mind, common sense and even the ability to engage hostage takers in a conversation, a negotiation, could save your life. If that fails, train the mind and the body with self defense skills and you might still come out alive.”

I know what you’re thinking? What good are martial skills in the face of a bullet. Well, if someone wants to shoot you, he will and there’s nothing you can do about it. But in a hostage situation, escape if you can. And if you can’t, wait. There might be a moment when the terrorist comes close enough for you to act. I hope such a day never comes, but if it does, you might as well be prepared… See you in the dojo then… PS Mr CEO(s), do remember to organize fire safety, first aid and evacuation drills in the office. It might save more than just one life…

Source: Thesundayindian.com

“Our country needs pro-active awareness and training from the grass-root level. Our people, staff and society itself is the first line defense by being aware & provide constructive surveillance & be prepared in any kind of crisis management, hostage evacuation or to dodge terror hostage takeover like Mumbai 26/11.

Vicky Kapoor”

Indian Express Newspaper

Sweta Dutta

Posted: Dec 07, 2008 at 0309 hrs IST

New Delhi Hotels give staff combat training

Following the Mumbai terror nightmare, several hotels and corporate houses in the Capital are training staff to deal with hostage situations and bomb blasts. A city-based tactical and combat training institute has been flooded with calls for training modules post 26/11.

The training institute, Ultimate Tactical and Combat Pvt Ltd in Saket, claims three five-star hotels and as many prominent BPO firms have hired its services to train staff.

“Beefing up security arrangements will not help, so a number of hotels and corporate houses which are potential targets nowadays are gearing up to face threats by training their staff on coping with blasts and hostage situations,” said Vicky Kapoor, managing director and chief instructor of the training institute. The five-star hotels are based in Central Delhi. Right from the basics of first-aid and fire fighting to minimising blast impact, the module has it all.

“Even if the staff is unarmed, they can dodge terrorists just by using certain tactics. Usually when terrorists strike, they are know they may not survive and so try to kill as many people as they can. The psyche of the terrorist is analysed in detail,” explained Kapoor.

“While the impact of blasts can be minimised by opening up all air flow inlets, the key to dealing with hostage situations lies in predicting the terrorist’s next move. Hostages are usually huddled together or locked up in a room or tied up. So in the beginning, we teach trainees to fight,” Kapoor added.

The module also trains hotel staff to deal with panicky guests and the injured. “First aid is crucial an can save lives. Several people die because they are not lifted in the right manner after sustaining injuries,” he said.

Batches of 50 are taken in and mock sessions are held for the entire team to work in tandem. “It is difficult to train the entire staff at one go as hotels have to cater to guests. So we arrange the training in shifts. Once it is over, mock sessions are conducted,” Kapoor told the Newsline.

The training institute has tie-ups with two Israeli training schools, International Security Academy and International Kravmaga Federation, both of which specialise in tactical combating with suicide bombers and hostage situations.

Several other MNCs and five-star hotel chains in Mumbai, Hyderabad and Chennai have also hired the services of the training institute, authorities said.

Source: Indian Express