Mock drill ‘Sea Vigil-22’ assesses preparedness of security forces

Armed commandos deployed at vital installations to intercept ‘intruders’, avert ‘attack’

Armed commandos stormed vital installations across Tamil Nadu following an intelligence input on a possible terror attack and intercepted ‘intruders’ in a mock drill codenamed ‘Sea Vigil-22’. Security forces successfully apprehended 111 ‘intruders’ who tried to enter 15 target locations.

The exercise, which began on November 15, will be held till November 18 to check the preparedness of security forces and intelligence agencies against possible terrorist attacks along the entire coast of India. About 1,000 personnel were drafted for the exercise from the Navy, the Coast Guard, the Central Industrial Security Force, the National Security Guard (NSG), the Fisheries Department, the Directorate-General of Lighthouses and Lightships, intelligence agencies, the Mercantile Marine Department, Immigration, Customs, the Coastal Security Group and the police. Sandeep Mittal, State Maritime Security Coordinator/Additional Director-General of Police, Coastal Security Group, supervised the personnel, who were divided into two groups. One group was to intrude by sea to target the vital assets/vulnerable locations along the coast, while the other was to intercept the intruders at sea and on land.

The Coast Guard, the Navy and Customs deployed ships, boats, fast interceptor craft, helicopters and hovercraft. The Coastal Security Group deployed a prototype drone, fast interceptor boats, all-terrain vehicles and more than a dozen hired boats.

Mr. Mittal said attempts made at 15 places to infiltrate targeted destinations were thwarted and 111 ‘intruders’ were apprehended. Security forces and officials launched an operation to rescue 10 employees held hostage by ‘terrorists’ at Adani Port Control Tower. A specially designed drone located the ‘terrorists’. The State Level Crisis Management Group negotiated the release of the hostages.

As the talks failed, NSG commandos captured the ‘terrorists’ alive.