Kerala Thunderbolts is an elite commando force of the Kerala Police under the India Reserve Battalion, set up in accordance with the Indian central government's directions post the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The commando force has been created to counter possible terror strikes and carry out counterinsurgency operations in Kerala. The force modeled on the Special Protection Group and National Security Guard are trained to engage in air, water and land attacks.[3][4][5][6][7]
Operations
A Thunderbolt team carried out a combing operation in the Malappuram district following reports of sighting of Maoist insurgents in February, 2013.[8]
In March 2013, a 30-member Thunderbolt team was involved in a counterinsurgency combing operation in search of suspected Maoist insurgents in Kannur district in Kerala. On 6 December 2014, A gunfight broke out in a forest in Kerala's hilly Wayanad district between the Thunderbolt unit and the left-wing rebels (Maoist). It was the first direct encounter between police and Maoists in the history of Kerala and no casualties were reported.[8][9]
Selection and training
The Commando force consists of 2 companies of 160 personnel, who have been recruited after undergoing 2 years of rigorous and specialized training at various institutions around the country including Army's Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School, Mizoram.[10]
Ex-Chief minister Oommen Chandy, announced the approval of the Central Government for raising a second battalion of 40 more personnel, in the wake of increased terrorist activity across India.[11] Thunderbolts commandos are being trained at Special Operations Group, an elite force of the Kerala Police.[12]
The recruits, in the 18–21 age group, were selected after going through the Three Star Physical Efficiency Test and Endurance test, as specified by the Kerala Public Service Commission. The second stage training was completed at Commando School, Chennai, National Disaster Management School, Coimbatore, Counter insurgency and Anti Terrorism School, Silchar, National Adventure School, Munnar, Underwater Operation and Diving school, Kochi and Airborne Operation Air force School, New Delhi.[11]
Deployment
The commandos are known as "Thunderbolts" and are mostly used to battle Left Wing Extremism. They are deployed in various maoist insurgency affected districts in Kerala. Commandos are also stationed in major cities of Kozhikode, Kochi, and Thiruvananthapuram as "Avengers-The Urban Commandos," which are used in emergency scenarios like VIP abductions or obstruction, hostage crisis and urban-terrorism and insurgencies.[13] A third squad of commandos is tasked with protecting the chief minister of Kerala in the meantime.
See also
References
External links
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