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

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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

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New Delhi, Jan.10 (ANI): Under constant threat of terrorism and urban street crime, all military forces, security & law enforcement agencies, youngsters of India are opting for ”Krav Maga, an Israeli system of self-defence and combat tactics.

In this system, students are instructed in state-of-the-art defensive principles that apply to a variety of threatening attacks that occur during commonly documented street crimes. Defensive maneuvers are combined with simultaneous counter-attacks until all potential danger is eliminated.

This system of martial arts was introduced in India in 2003 by Vicky (Vikram) Kapoor, who began his training in Krav Maga in Israel in 2003. He heads the “Ultimate Tactical & Combat Pvt. Ltd.” as the CEO and Managing Director of the company.

“Because this system is developed on the natural reflexes and natural movement of the body, which makes the system unique and very simple to learn and retain. Unlike controversial martial arts, the Chinese and the Japanese forms which is developed from the animal behavior. If you are learning somebody’’s behavior, you are mastering, perfecting and then using it. So the process of learning and using it takes a lot of time. Whereas in ”Krav Maga”, if I teach you one technique now, you can go out and if somebody attacks you, with an eye you can defend yourself,” Said Vicky Kapoor, Director, Ultimate Tactical and Combat Private Limited.

This system of self-defence is totally different from the other traditional martial arts. A common criticism of the traditional martial arts is the lack of real-life applicability.

Post Mumbai terror attacks; Krav Maga is gaining popularity among youngsters for self-defence.

“We are also aware that at no point of time, I as an individual be better equipped than the terrorist. But it is more of the reaction, speed and frame of mind. If I can maintain my calm, maintain my peace and think rationally and think fast, I can help a lot of people overcome that situation,” said Gaurav Shourie, a trainee.

Krav Maga, literally means ”contact combat”, is highly effective, battle tested, fighting skills and defensive tactics that was first developed in Czechoslovakia in the 1930s by Imi Lichtenfeld.

Krav Maga is the official system of hand-to-hand combat and self-defense employed by the Israeli Defense and Security Forces, the Israeli National and Military Police and its Special Operations and Anti Terrorist Units.

It has been expanded outside the borders of Israel and is very successful in the USA, Canada, Brazil, United Kingdom, France Finland, Sweden, Norway, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Japan etc .

It is beginning to make its presence felt in the military and law enforcement sectors in India as well. (ANI)

Source: thaindian.com

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Business Today Magazine

Before you read on, a word of caution—this article contains fist-fighting, groin-kicking, arm-twisting and shoving. It might sound like an action sequence from a Quentin Tarantino flick, but it’s not—it’s a regular class of Krav Maga. And it’s rough stuff. A world away from jazzercise.

“Krav Maga (Hebrew for ‘contact combat’) is a battle-tested Israeli system of self-defence,” says Vicky Kapoor, Regional Director, Krav Maga, India.

It was first developed by Imi Lichtenfield, an Israeli soldier in the 1930s.” Tall and imposing at 43, Kapoor could pass for a gun-wielding General himself, when I meet him at his studio in South Extension, New Delhi. He was introduced to Krav Maga in 2003, when he was looking to further expand his knowledge of martial arts, and has been hooked since. Trained in Israel, by senior instructors like Eyal Yanilov and Avi Moyal, he now conducts classes for civilians, military and law enforcement units in the city. And the numbers are growing.

“From working women and call centre employees to politicians and school-going kids, I train them all,” he claims. “It’s considered one of the most practical and effective techniques

for combat and self-defence. Hundreds of law enforcement agencies and celebrities practise it the world over.” There’s no doubting the popularity of Krav Maga—Jennifer Lopez, Angelina Jolie and Sandra Bullock are known to have practised it, and closer home, it has patrons like Bipasha Basu, Priyanka Chopra and Omar Abdullah. But is what’s right for a young Israeli soldier, practical for the civilians?

“An attacker or a potential threat would not differentiate between a soldier and you. Why should your training be any different?” says Kapoor. “As instructors, we’re equipping students with a battle-tested martial art form of tactical manoeuvres, so that they walk in peace.” Hold on. Did he just say martial art? Isn’t that more of an eastern thing? Like kung fu or karate? And don’t they all claim to offer the same benefits and moves?

“The essential meaning of ‘martial’ is warlike,” says Kapoor. “Traditional martial art forms have moves adapted from animals, but Krav Maga works on identifying and improving natural human reflexes. Most martial art forms are not realistic self-defence systems. Their fancy and ritual-oriented moves would not hold up against those thugs on the street.” Kapoor would know. Prior to joining IKMF (the International Krav Maga Federation), he trained exhaustively in Judo, Aikido and Taekwondo, and at present heads about 12 martial arts federations in India. With so much emphasis on self-defence, and defensive tactics, it appears that it’s just about fighting all the way. The classes prove otherwise.

Kapoor’s class starts with basic warm-up exercises like rotations and squats, to lubricate the joints. Then comes a fastpaced, high-energy workout, designed to tone and strengthen your body. According to estimates, an hour of Krav Maga can burn 800 calories. There’s boxing, punching and striking to some very loud music. To the outsider, it looks dangerous and exhausting, but Kapoor assures that the classes are relatively safe and injury-free.

“Injuries are part and parcel of any workout, and could happen anytime and anywhere,” says Kapoor. “So, we have matted floors, and use gloves, gum shields and chest gears in our workouts. The classes are safe and suitable for all age groups and body types.”

Physical benefits aside, there’s an emphasis on mental agility. Using dummy guns and other props, students are familiarised with different assault scenarios. Each student has a padded “attacker” for a partner, who abuses them physically and verbally. The attacker allows the students to practise powerful, closecontact defence techniques. Decisionmaking under high-pressure situations is also taught in these workshops.

Krav Maga is far from pretty. It’s dangerous and painful, with occasional bruises thrown in. But it also means greater flexibility, mental agility and getting trained for some of life’s battles, which might stand you in good stead one day.

Contact: Vicky Kapoor: +919810412442, or check out: www.kravmagaindia.in

Source:Businesstoday.digitaltoday.in

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4 Mar, 2007, 0000 hrs IST,Ranjeni A Singh, TNN

Sandra Bullock used it in ‘Miss Congeniality 2’, J Lo used it in the movie Enough. And it is a fad with thousands of Americans. And it’s also steadily gaining ground in India. We are talking about Krav Maga, a self-defence martial arts that has its roots in Israel. Krav Maga literally means ‘contact combat’ in Hebrew. The technique is the official self system of the Israeli Defence Forces, and has been taught to hundreds of law enforcement agencies and thousands of civilians around the world.

Originated by Imi Lichtenfeld, the system founder and chief hand-to-hand combat instructor for the Israeli Defence Forces, Krav Maga is truly battle tested and is continually evolving based on the collective experiences of military and law enforcement personnel and civilians around the world.

According to its practitioners, Krav Maga is a simple, effective self defence system that emphasises instinctive movements, practical techniques, and realistic training scenarios. And apparently it’s so effective, that it’s acquired some high-profile disciples. In India we have Sanjay Kapur, the Nandas, Sunil Shetty and Akshay Kumar adding star quotient to the martial art. Krav Maga is heavy on the Martial, light on the Art. Krav Maga, due to the way in which it is taught, gives people a very intense workout.

And the two star exponents of Krav Maga in India are Vicky Kapoor and Nirmala Bhanu. Kapoor as director of International Krav Maga Federation, India was instrumental in popularising Krav Maga in India. He was trained personally by Eyal Yanilov, the chairman of International Krav Maga Federation Israel.

Yanilov is considered a living legend of Krav Maga. He studied Krav Maga under the personal tutelage of its founder, Imi Sde-Or (Lichtenfeld). He is now the senior-most Krav Maga practitioner in the world and is the only individual who carries the highest grade ever given by Imi (Master level 3/Expert level 8). He holds the unique Founder’s Diploma of Excellence. “Knowledge of Krav Maga would benefit people from all walks of life, says Yanilov.

Source: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/

MYCATPRESS

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