Thunderbolts commandos of Kerala Police endure anti-extremist coaching in Odisha

By Express News Service
BHUBANESWAR: Personnel of the Kerala Police’s elite Commando Wing — Thunderbolts — have commenced anti-extremist coaching on the Odisha Police Special Operation Group (SOG) centre in Chandaka on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar. The coaching will go on for eight months.

“Thunderbolts commandos are being trained at SOG in Chandaka and they are the second batch from Kerala. We have already trained commandos from Maharashtra and West Bengal,” mentioned DGP Abhay.

SOG is a specialised unit of Odisha Police and has experience in neutralizing extremists.

About 33 commandos of Thunderbolts led by a sub-inspector rank officer had been stored in isolation and their RT-PCR assessments had been performed earlier than their coaching commenced right here on Monday.

Palakkad, Malappuram, Kannur, Kozhikode and Wayanad districts of Kerala are affected by the left wing extremism (LWE) menace.

“The commandos will undergo physical training, obstacle course, shooting and jungle exercises at SOG centre. They will be informed about the Maoists’ military structure and their method of operation,” mentioned a senior officer of Odisha Police.

The commandos of Thunderbolts may also be briefed about utilizing international positioning system (GPS) throughout an operation.

Besides this, they are going to be skilled concerning the mendacity up place which is the tactical place the place an working unit of the safety forces stops for a short interval and the placement is chosen in a means that the personnel are prepared for an ambush or a raid after alerts from sentries posted on larger grounds.

Sources mentioned the Odisha Police may additionally prepare an interplay between Thunderbolts commandos and the surrendered ultras to assist them perceive their methodology.

Last 12 months, 50 commandos of Thunderbolts had undergone 13 weeks coaching however the second batch’s period was shortened in view of the pandemic.

Thunderbolts commandos had been requested to undertake sure workout routines in Kerala itself earlier than arriving in Chandaka, mentioned a senior police officer.

A brand new battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Border Security Force (BSF) arriving in Odisha additionally undertakes an induction beneath the SOG earlier than commencing duties within the state.