Joint security drill along Orissa coast

BHUBANESWAR - A two-day joint security drill involving the Indian Navy, Coast Guard, state police, marine police, custom officials and local fishermen, among others, is underway along the Orissa coast to thwart any type of terror attacks, officials said Thursday.

The mock exercise, which began Wednesday, is divided into two groups. One group, masquerading as fishermen, would try to infiltrate through the sea route and the other group would try to thwart the attack.

During the 48-hour exercise, mock drills were conducted at several locations starting from Balasore to the Ganjam coast.

A mock infiltration exercise was conducted along the Puri coast, where some security personnel masquerading as terrorists tried to enter the Puri temple. They were successfully apprehended by the security personnel.

Similar exercises were also conducted near Gopalpur, Balasore, Konark and Paradip.

“We are conducting the security exercise to foil any type of infiltration along the coast. It is a coordinated drill conducted to ascertain how prepared we are to foil any such attacks by terrorists,” said Balakrishna Sahoo, additional superintendent of police of Paradip.

The Indian Navy has joined the exercise with interceptor vehicles, fast moving crafts and warships.