Sreenivas Janyala Posted online: Wednesday, Dec 02, 2009 at 0259 hrs

Hyderabad : The changing security situation in the country has made training for the IPS probationers a lot tougher. From Krav Maga, an unarmed street fight perfected by Israeli soldiers, to scuba diving for steadier nerves, to guerrilla warfare in the jungles of Tamil Nadu, would-be officers are undergoing rigorous combat and survival techniques that were till now the forte of special forces. Special emphasis is being laid on improving intelligence gathering skills. The  will introduce Krav Maga when training for the 62nd batch of IPS regular batch starts. A module was introduced on experimental basis to the 61st batch that completed the course last week, but it turned out to be too intensive for the probationers as the training was given at one go. So the NPA would be assimilating it into capsules spread over the training period for the current batch.

“Krav Maga does not involve martial arts or taking postures. It is a street fight, very practical and drawing on the good elements of various forms of fights and self defense techniques. We are mixing Krav Maga with the traditional unarmed combat training. It makes them a lot more tough physically and mentally,” says NPA Director K Vijay Kumar.

Gajarao Bhupal, IPS from Kakinada, who completed training at the NPA in November, says Krav Maga training boosted his confidence to a different level. “I am confident that I can now take on somebody with my bare hands. Scuba diving and rock climbing were also introduced for the first time. We were able to do things that we never imagined were possible,” Gajarao says.

Tafseer Iqbal from Dhanbad, who, too, completed his training in November, says that unlike judo or karate where you need time to take positions, Krav Maga is based on street-smart reflexes and is vital for close combat situations and much more suitable for urban law and order situations.

With the threat of Left-wing extremism and terrorism, guerrilla, jungle warfare and counter-terrorism has also become essential for the IPS officers. The probationers now undergo training with Tamil Nadu’s Special Task Force in the jungles near Coimbatore. “This is over and above the existing attachment with Greyhounds in Andhra Pradesh where they learn guerrilla and jungle warfare tactics,” says Vijay Kumar.

A tougher regimen awaited the probationers who were introduced to rock climbing and mountaineering at Mussoorie cliffs which is a test of physical strength, nerves and will power. For steadier nerves and to prepare them for operations in water and improving survival skills, scuba diving has been brought in. The training was given at the academy itself this time as circumstances did not allow it to be conducted at Goa. The NPA has reintroduced river rafting at Rishikesh under the watchful eye of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police. “We revived adventure sports to build team spirit and cooperation,” says Vijay Kumar.

One important component is restructuring of the 10-month training period. After undergoing nine months of training, probationers can choose one area of specialisation which can be as varied as Krav Maga to rock climbing to yoga.

HYDERABAD: Terrorism has made life unimaginably tough for the latest batch of IPS probationers what with new combat techniques being introduced into the training schedule. The latest addition for budding police officers at the Sardar Vallabhai Patel National Police Academy (SVPNPA) is “Krav Maga” an Israeli hand-to-hand combat technique that gives the fighter more aggressive endurance.

But it is not just with “Krav Maga” that the 61st batch of IPS probationers who pass out on November 6, 2009 have an edge over the alumni of the prestigious institution. The 91 probationers, including 23 women, for the first time also had to develop their skills in scuba diving. Certainly fun was simply out of question. “It was all about learning to not only explore the unknown waters and surviving hazards but also acquiring the skill to rescue,” said an officer engaged in training the probationers.

With a thorough revamp of the basic course syllabus for IPS probationers on the cards, the introduction of “Krav Maga” and scuba diving is only an indication of how the nearly one-year training will become more demanding.

Being cut off from civilization for a few days and getting lost in the deep and dangerous jungles of Tamil Nadu was probably not what the probationers, had bargained for when they got into the IPS but they slugged it all. Leading the change in training is director K. Vijay Kumar who in an earlier avatar as chief of TN Special task force had tracked down sandalwood smuggler Veerappan. “The jungle experience need not necessarily make the trainees physically tough. But it certainly makes them mentally tough,” Vijay Kumar told TOI.

Not everyone could master the “Krav Maga” during the two-month training module but it certainly raised the standards of training for IPS probationers. “Krav Maga” is basically a tactical defence skill which stresses on threat neutralisation, simultaneous defensive and offensive manoeuvres, and aggressive endurance in a “him-or-me” context, according to NPA officials.

Source: Times of India