By IANS,
Mumbai: Maharashtra Director General of Police A.N. Roy said that although Mumbai remained on the terrorists’ hit list, the security apparatus in the city was more alert and prepared now, nearly a year after the 26/11 terror attacks.
“Mumbai is still on the terror hit list, but the police’s response mechanism has improved drastically and we are much more confident now,” Roy said, addressing a summit here Friday.
Detailing what the Mumbai Police have done in the past year, city Police Commissioner D. Shivanandhan said a Quick Reaction Team (QRT) of 1,000 officers and men has been raised for each of the five zonal regions of the city.
The perssonnel have been trained by experts from the Indian Army, National Security Guards and foreign special forces.
Besides, a bomb disposal squad is positioned at each of the 13 zonal Deputy Commissionerates of Police, with a total strength of over 100 officers and men, and 39 combat vehicles have been acquired.
“These have been equipped with modern features like Global Positioning System, while a few dozen bullet proof vehicles have been procured, as also an armoured troop carrier,” Shivanandhan said.
The daylong “Security and Resilience Summit – Securing the City of Dreams” was organised by Bombay First and London First at the Hotel Trident-Oberoi, one of the targets of the 26/11 attack.
Sir Paul Stephenson, commissioner of Metropolitan Police Service of London, said that the police in the United Kingdom adopt a policy of prevention, pursuit, protection and preparation to tackle the growing menace of terrorism.
“We also concentrate on preventing radicalisation since stopping people from becoming terrorists is a major task,” he said.
For the purpose, the UK police have special engagement officers who interact with the communities and attempt to prevent radicalisation, he said.
Emphasising that terrorism today is a “global challenge”, Stephenson said it is all the more complex since there is a religious angle involved in it.
“All the police forces around the world must work in partnership, work smarter and think more strategically. Security is a pre-requisite for enjoyment of rights and the strategy should always be the ability to respond to situations,” he urged.