AFTER the 26/11 terror attacks on Mumbai, when top officials of the Maharashtra state Police sat down one evening to put together a home-grown commando squad and a police SWAT (special weapons and tactics) team, they probably had no idea about the sort of response the call for applications to Force One would evoke.

Over 2,500 applications poured in—from constabulary, officers and members of the armed wings of the Maharashtra Police—including from Cuffe Parade beat officer Rajendra Kamble, one of the first to locate the dingy used by the Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorists; and commando rider from Local Arms-II Rakesh Bhoir, one of the first to take Ajmal Kasab to Nair Hospital.

Starting March 2009, the recruits underwent 15 days of physical induction, followed by two, two-month-long phases of initial training and another four months of intensive physical, firing and combat training. Today, after several levels of screening, only the 211 toughest men are part of the force, now in the final stages of training at the State Reserve Police Force Group I headquarters in Pune. The first state-level police SWAT team and the first urban terrorism combat squad has been imparted the best secrets of the trade by experts from the defence force and premier squads across the country.

Force One will be deployed later this month. Another 54 of the Anti-Terrorist Squad Quick Response Team are now being trained and will be inducted at a later date.

Force One chief, Deputy Inspector General S. Jagannathan, said the curriculum was shaped out of commando training courses and modified to include a battle preparedness test, a battle assault obstacle course, the ‘ultimate endurance’ test, and training in tactical firing. Special sessions on explosives were arranged in coordination with military units, with experts from various squads being consulted.

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