Kashmir: NSG commandos to be deployed to deal with terrorists
The Ministry of Home Affairs is examining a proposal to deploy a contingent of National Security Guard (NSG) commandos in the Kashmir Valley so that they can join the Indian Army, the CRPF and the state police when a high-risk militancy related incident takes place. "They are trained to deal with terrorists and hostage-like situations. We are mulling over it," an official said.
Black cat commandos deployed in Valley in past too
This is not for the first time that NSG commandos, popularly known as "Black Cat", would be deployed in Jammu and Kashmir. The commandos of the elite force have been deployed in the Valley in the past too. Their special skills of carrying out house intervention and hostage rescue can act as "clincher" during a terror siege, the official said.
Decision was taken amid increasing incidents of encounters in Kashmir
The move to deploy NSG commandos in Kashmir comes in the wake of increasing incidents of encounters where security forces have lost many soldiers during high-risk house intervention operations in densely populated localities. The NSG commandos, when allowed, would get opportunities to test their skills and it will be a force-multiplier for anti-militancy forces deployed in Jammu and Kashmir, another official said.
How a NSG team formed?
Normally, a small NSG team comprises five commandos led by a non-commissioned officer along with bomb-experts and crack marksman. Commandos use sophisticated Heckler and Koch MP5 sub-machine guns, sniper-rifles, through-the-wall radar and C-4 explosives to eliminate holed up terrorists without causing much damage to structure.
NSG team was first formed in 1984
The NSG was raised in 1984 in the aftermath of Operation Blue Star, which was carried out to flush out terrorists hiding in the Golden Temple in Punjab's Amritsar. There are around 7,500 personnel currently working with the NSG. "Black Cat" commandos were deployed to tackle terrorists who carried out 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, January 2016 terror attack at the Pathankot air base.
60 incidents of terrorist attacks reported in J&K this year
As many as 60 incidents of terrorist violence have taken place in Jammu and Kashmir from January till mid-March this year, killing 15 security personnel and 17 terrorists, according to data provided to Parliament.
