Tackling Terror : ‘Black Cat’ Commandos Likely In Kashmir for Encounters, Hostage Situations

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In what is seen as major step towards countering cross border terrorism , the elite ‘Black Cat’ commandos of the elite counter-terror force NSG,  are set to be deployed soon in Jammu and Kashmir to help security forces in dealing with encounters and hostage-like situations, officials said .

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.

According to various media reports, the Ministry of Home Affairs is reportedly examining a proposal to deploy a contingent of the 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.

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.  Normally, a small NSG team comprises five commandos led by a non-commissioned officer along with bomb experts and crack marksman.

The 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 the structure.

“We are planning to deploy the NSG in Kashmir. They are trained to deal with terrorists and hostage-like situations. We are mulling over it,” an official told PTI requesting anonymity.

Director General of Police, Jammu and Kashmir, SP Vaid had also said recently that he has been working on the proposal. “Hope I will be successful,” he had said.

“We are planning to deploy the NSG in Kashmir. They are trained to deal with terrorists and hostage-like situations. We are mulling over it,” an official told PTI requesting anonymity.

Director General of Police, Jammu and Kashmir, SP Vaid had also said recently that he has been working on the proposal. “Hope I will be successful,” he had said.

It may be recalled that 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.

Moreover, the ‘Black Cat’ commandos were deployed to tackle the terrorists who carried out the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, January 2016 terror attack at the Pathankot air base as well as eliminating the terrorists who attacked the Akshardham temple in Gujarat.