Operation Barricade
If any chennaites were out on the roads yesterday night(07/07/09), they would have been shocked, surprised and worried just as me, seeing that many cops all around the city. Only today I could gather some information about the brilliant show put up by the Chennai police. The entire operation was code named "Operation Barricade". Yesterday night the city police received a message that a group of terrorists have infiltrated into the state through sea carrying arms and explosives and possibly will enter the city anytime after midnight. Only the top brass of the police force knew it was just a mock drill and the infiltrated militants were actually Marcos commandos from Mumbai to test the efficacy of the security forces of a possible terror strike after Mumbai terror attack.
I am totally impressed by the commitment & efficiency of the Chennai police as I witnessed the operation in person. Every entry points to the city, especially the coastal line (East Cost Road) was heavily guarded with armed force. From the press report I could understand that the operation was carried out by both the state and central forces including Cost Guard and Navy. They were thoroughly checking every vehicle and even 2-wheelers were stopped and allowed to pass only after showing some identity proof. The same drill was going on parallel at all the southern eastern coastal line cities.
I had mixed feelings in the start as police checking is very common in the ECR. But I was a bit confused by the high vigilance of the police and the presence of high officials and armed personals. When I reached Taj Coramondal Hotel at Nungampakam, I was totally shocked seeing the number of security personal there. 1st I thought some VIP might be staying there but then my friend reminded me that Chennai was on the hit list of LeT & other terrorist groups who carried over series of bomb blasts in Bangalore. Add on to that an ambulance passed by us in the opposite direction. All this made me really uncomfortable and also increased my curiosity. Every time I passed a check post, I wanted to ask the police men about the reason behind the checking but considering the calamity of the situation I kept my curiosity to myself.
After dropping my friend I returned home and thankfully there were not many check points in the return way. I wanted to get back home asap to check TV and figure out what has happened. There was police checking even at Thiruvanmayur beach, near my house, and all the vehicles coming from the beach side were stopped and checked. This in fact reminded me about the Mumbai terror attack. The police men did not let me to take the normal root to my house and asked me to go all around. When I reached home, my roommate just got back from work and he was also equally perplexed with the situation. Only the next morning when he told me from paper that it was a mock drill I got relieved and felt real admiration for Chennai police.
It was a good move by the Home Ministry of India to conduct such mock drills in the present situation of increasing threat to the national security. Such drills will prepare the security teams to face unprecedented calamities. I hope there won't be any kind of such terrorist attacks in Chennai and even if some one try for it I believe the police force is capable of handling it. Three cheers to Chennai Police !!!
I am totally impressed by the commitment & efficiency of the Chennai police as I witnessed the operation in person. Every entry points to the city, especially the coastal line (East Cost Road) was heavily guarded with armed force. From the press report I could understand that the operation was carried out by both the state and central forces including Cost Guard and Navy. They were thoroughly checking every vehicle and even 2-wheelers were stopped and allowed to pass only after showing some identity proof. The same drill was going on parallel at all the southern eastern coastal line cities.
I had mixed feelings in the start as police checking is very common in the ECR. But I was a bit confused by the high vigilance of the police and the presence of high officials and armed personals. When I reached Taj Coramondal Hotel at Nungampakam, I was totally shocked seeing the number of security personal there. 1st I thought some VIP might be staying there but then my friend reminded me that Chennai was on the hit list of LeT & other terrorist groups who carried over series of bomb blasts in Bangalore. Add on to that an ambulance passed by us in the opposite direction. All this made me really uncomfortable and also increased my curiosity. Every time I passed a check post, I wanted to ask the police men about the reason behind the checking but considering the calamity of the situation I kept my curiosity to myself.
After dropping my friend I returned home and thankfully there were not many check points in the return way. I wanted to get back home asap to check TV and figure out what has happened. There was police checking even at Thiruvanmayur beach, near my house, and all the vehicles coming from the beach side were stopped and checked. This in fact reminded me about the Mumbai terror attack. The police men did not let me to take the normal root to my house and asked me to go all around. When I reached home, my roommate just got back from work and he was also equally perplexed with the situation. Only the next morning when he told me from paper that it was a mock drill I got relieved and felt real admiration for Chennai police.
It was a good move by the Home Ministry of India to conduct such mock drills in the present situation of increasing threat to the national security. Such drills will prepare the security teams to face unprecedented calamities. I hope there won't be any kind of such terrorist attacks in Chennai and even if some one try for it I believe the police force is capable of handling it. Three cheers to Chennai Police !!!
Interesting. Never knew they'd conduct such extensive drills. Good to learn that the Tam cops are always prepared.
ReplyDeleteI wonder what'd happen if the Home Ministry decides to conduct one in Kerala. Worse, what if it falls on a Harthal day?
then kerala police will be happily sitting at home .. harthaal pilleru will deal with them
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