Kolkata: Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel along with the Indian Navy, Army and other stakeholders joint anti-terrorism exercise exist victoria memorial hall Thursday as part of the annual maritime vigil exercise. It simulated the situation of terrorists hijacking VIPs. A similar exercise was conducted at the naval base in Kolkata on Wednesday.
On a seemingly normal morning, revelers began entering and filling the Victoria Memorial Hall. But around 9:30 a.m., all entry points were closed, as were the ticket counters, when suddenly men in uniforms and riot gear – the CISF Quick Response Team (QRT) – were seen pouring into the venue , spoke over the intercom about the threats surrounding the VIP, which looked like a terrorist attack or major disaster.
For the next half hour, dramatic scenes unfolded inside the memorial as armed security personnel crawled along the grounds, hiding behind bushes and trees, deftly disarming all “terrorists”. Eventually, it was revealed that this was an exercise to test the security forces’ emergency response systems. Officials said the exercise was organized to strengthen preparations against terrorist attacks. Although panic initially spread, everyone breathed a sigh of relief after learning about the exercise.
“The Indian Army played a key role by deploying sniper teams at key vantage points to provide precise surveillance and neutralize high-risk targets. Their expertise proved vital in maintaining control of high-risk scenarios. Management of Victoria Memorial The operation is further facilitated by allowing immediate access to site layout, security systems and logistical support, enabling security forces to plan and execute the exercise with minimal risk to public safety and heritage properties,” a Ministry of Defense spokesperson said.
The official said seamless coordination between the Indian Navy, CISF, Indian Army and Victoria Memorial Hall management successfully neutralized the simulated threat. During the drill, important figures and hostages were safely rescued, and life order quickly returned to normal.
Sea Vigil-24 exemplifies the importance of inter-agency cooperation, site-specific preparedness and rapid response in strengthening national security mechanisms.
Actors posing as terrorists were also caught on Wednesday night while trying to plant explosives on the railway tracks behind INS Netaji Subhas as part of an exercise. In another exercise, an actor posing as a smuggler was arrested by officials while transporting prohibited items at Garden Ridge Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd. (GRSE). MSID::115527615 413 |
