Chandigarh: It was a harrowing time for shop
owners and few shoppers in the main market complex in the city
today after it was surrounded by a heavy police force on an
"information" that terrorists had struck in the area.
A strong contingent of police, including the top brass
SSP S S Srivastava swung into action and took around 45
minutes to "neutralise the terrorists".
Only that the whole exercise was a mock one.
The whole scene was enacted with an objective to see the
police preparedness in case of terror strike, Srivastava told
reporters after the exercise was conducted.
The entire area was cordoned off and the priority of the
security agencies was to evacuate the injured and then
neutralise the terrorists, he said.
"We have video-graphed the entire mock operation and the
police will now analyse its efficiency," he said, adding that
"there was a good response by police personnel after the fake
message of terror strike was flashed."
Shortcomings will be analysed to minimise errors, he
said.
Srivastava ruled out that the police had any specific
information about possible terror strike in the city close to
the festive season of Christmas and New year.
The SSP claimed that the police force was fully prepared
to fight against any terror strike and made a contingency plan
in association with force of neighbouring Mohali and
Panchkula.
PTI
First Published: Monday, December 21, 2009, 13:36