Panic gripped Kottayam town on Saturday after the police staged a mock drill to asses their preparedness in case of a terror attack.
The drill started around 11 a.m. when the sound of a gunfire brought the town to a halt, followed by an immediate police response. Initially , there was panic among people as a group of armed persons, carrying an explosives-laden bag ,stormed the Thirunakkara ground and created a tense situation.
On an alert by the locals, a police team rushed to the spot and took control of the area. In the fight that ensued, the police overpowered the attackers even as one of the assailants `suffered serious injuries'. The Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad as well as the Fire and Rescue Services were soon mobilised to handle the explosives.
The panic gave to cheer when the police announced that the exercise was held to asses the security preparedness in case of an emergency situation. As many as 60 police officers took part in the operations, which lasted over half an hour.
