The National Security Guards (NSG) the countrys elite anti-terror force is planning to send a team to Kenya to study the Nairobi Westgate terror seige,that had left over 70 dead. Sources said the NSG had written to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and sought a clearance in this regard. The NSG had come under criticism after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks when a team had to be sent all the way from Delhi leading to delay in rescue operations. There is a lot to learn from these operations,how Kenyan officials flushed out militants and how they entered the mall in the first place - this is all an area of great study. If our men have first-hand information we will be able to deal with any such situation in the future, said a senior NSG official. At its 29th Raising Day Parade on Wednesday,for the first time NSG commandos demonstrated the use of the newly-acquired SHERPA vehicle,a 4x4 renault vehicle with a speed of 110 km per hour and a payload of two tonnes. An armoured personnel carrier,the SHERPA,can be used in hostile terrain. Arvind Ranjan,Director General,NSG said,Due to the rise in low intensity conflict scenario,it is extremely important to keep up with the advancement in technology in counter-terrorism and surveillance. Ranjan said that the NSG was looking to develop net technology,instead of rope,for evacuations in high-rise buildings with the capacity of evacuating 10 people at a single time. The NSG also displayed a new technology called the 20-kg Mini ROV (remote operator vehicle) with a three-gear system that could be deployed in an area to dispose off a bomb. It can drag a light car vehicle upto the weight of 113 kg with five types of PTZ cameras. The NSG also showcased the use of the small dogs in conducting surveillance and checks on an aircraft. Under a pilot project of NSG K9,the cocker spaniels could be deployed instead of large dogs to sniff in small spaces,such as beneath the seat of an aircraft. Ranjan said the new additions are a way to increase the counter-terror capabilities. He also said efforts were on to work with state governments in counter-terror operations. MoS (Home) RPN Singh,honoured the next-to-kin of NSG martyrs - Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan (Operation Black Tornado); Subedar Suresh Chanra Yadav and Commando Sarjan Singh (Operation Vajra Shakti); AC-II Rajendra Prasad,VIP security duty of Beant Singh who lost his life during Operation Black Panther. Singh said,The commandos have always done the country proud. He also expressed confidence in plans to modernize the NSG and said one must move beyond conventional methods. The commandos put up a spectacular display of professional skills like abseiling,slithering,unarmed combat,intervention drills,VIP security,precision shooting,para-motor sailing and small team insertion and extrication. With the closing of the ceremony,the NSG Black Cats Catalogue 2013 was also released on Wednesday.
