Law and Order machinery in Tiruchi will be further strengthened soon with a Quick Reaction Team (QRT) that will be equipped with counter terrorism capabilities for effective intervention at times of terrorist attacks. The State Police Headquarters has decided to constitute a Quick Reaction Team (QRT), comprising well-trained men and officers, in Tiruchi and 13 other centres across the State in the first phase.
The other centres where the QRTs will come up include Chennai, Salem, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Coimbatore, Vellore, Thanjavur, Kancheepuram, Ooty and Villupuram.
Young constables and officers below the age of 30 years would be handpicked from the Tamil Nadu Special Police (TSP) Battalions to be exclusively part of the QRTs to tackle crisis situations such as a terrorist attack.
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Each QRT will comprise 30 constables and a sub inspector. The TSP personnel chosen to be part of the QRTs would undergo comprehensive training in commando and counter terrorism operations at various places including Perambalur, Vallanadu in Tuticorin district and Mettur. The tenure of the personnel forming part of the QRT will be three years and they would be utilised solely for the intended objective of counter terrorism operations, say police sources. The law enforcing authorities have identified the places for locating the QRTs. In Tiruchi, the crack team will be stationed at the TSP –I Battalion in the city.
The formation of QRTs is part of the Standard Operating Procedure, a crisis contingency plan, which all Police Commissionerates and Unit Officers of each district have been instructed to formulate to deal effectively with crisis situations including major terrorist and suicide attacks, bomb explosions and hostage crises.