Want to catch a glimpse of real-life heroes? Then these images of the National Security Guard taken by ace photographer Pravin Talan for his 2021 calendar are just the thing for you. The NSG was raised in 1984 as the federal contingency commando force and its primary task includes undertaking specific counter-terrorist, counter-hijack operations. The calendar 2021-22 is an insight into various training aspects and capabilities of the elite commando force. The images are highly stylised and capture raw action and indomitable spirit of the Black Cat Commandos. And don't be surprised if the photos of the 'Men in Black' provide you with some motivation to serve the nation and get your adrenaline pumping!
The National Security Guard has shifted around 900 of its commandos rendering VIP security duties for training in specialist counter-terror operations as part of its original charter.
Commandos of the National Security Guards received a rousing welcome from the locals when they came out of the Nariman House after killing two dreaded terrorists, who had holed themselves in the building along with five hostages.When the commandos came out after the successful mission, they were greeted with cheers, claps, pats on shoulders and patriotic slogans.The crowd, which had gathered outside the building, came running towards the unit as they came out.
A day after terrorists besieged Mumbai on November 26, 2008, Rakesh Chawan had reported to work as private security guard of MPI at his posting at the Taj Mahal Hotel, one of the sites of the horrific attacks. Little did he know that a few hours later he would come face-to-face with one of the terrorists holed up inside the hotel.
Tahawwur Rana has the answers to festering questions on the 26/11 terror attacks and the NIA must pry it out of him, even if they have to feed him biryani, advocates Athimuthu Ganesh Nadar.
The Mumbai CP said that shifting of IPL semi-finals due to the spate of bomb blasts in Bengaluru recently to Navi Mumbai is a compliment to capability of the Mumbai and Maharashtra police.
The Home Minister said the country would never forget the supreme sacrifice made by the NSG commandos during the Mumbai terror attacks.
Given these factors and similarities in modus operandi, selection of targets and use of sophisticated weapons and explosives, the involvement of a similar groups with links to ISI becomes highly probable.
At least 40 to 50 hostages are holed up in one room by six to eight terrorists in the topmost floors of the Taj Mahal Hotel, said a National Security Guards commando involved in the operation. There are 170-odd NSG commandoes involved in the flushing-out operation, said the commando who had stepped out for a breather
A crack commando team of the elite force has been stationed and is ready to undertake operations from the complex spread over five acres of land located on the periphery of the Indira Gandhi International Airport on National Highway-8.
The government said on Tuesday that it would strive to establish a National Security Guard hub or an equivalent commando force in every state in due course to strengthen the national security apparatus. Home Minister P Chidambaram told the Lok Sabha during Question Hour that the government was trying to have these units soon, though it was a long-term plan in view of the constraints of manpower and training.
The National Security Guard, India's most potent commando force, has finetuned its operational readiness and official procedures following the 26/11 terror attacks on Mumbai, says RS Chauhan
Mumbai Police Inspector Vijay Salaskar and Assistant Sub-Inspector Tukaram Ombale, apart from National Security Guard commandos Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan and Havildar Gajender Singh too would receive the medal posthumously for their acts of bravery during the November Mumbai attacks. Delhi Police inspector Mohan Chand Sharma, who died fighting terrorists in the Batla House operation in the capital in September last year, has also been named for the award.
'The CBI did a wonderful job of tracking down the killers, but at the end of the day, all the hard work went for a toss.' 'If we had caught them alive, the operation would have been successful completely.'
One of the commandos, who was part of the action in Taj Palace hotel, described to rediff.com how the drama unfolded and the ordeal they underwent to flush out the terrorists who had held the entire city ransom.
Former National Security Guard Commando P V Maneesh, who had suffered serious head injuries in the Mumbai 26/11 terror attack, said Ajmal Kasab's hanging will increase the "morale and courage" of soldiers who risk their lives to protect the Nation's interests.
The parliament duty group of the CRPF wound up its entire administrative and operational paraphernalia -- vehicles, weapons and commandos -- from the complex on Friday and its commander, a deputy inspector general-rank officer, handed over all the security points in the complex to the incoming CISF group, the sources said.
The Prevention of Terrorism Act court on Saturday awarded death sentence to three persons in the 2002 Akshardham temple terror attack case.
President Pratibha Patil has cleared the names of slain former Maharashtra Anti-Terrorist Squad chief Hemant Karkare, sub-inspector Tukaram Gopal Omble and National Security Guard commando Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, who laid down their lives during the Mumbai terror strikes, for Ashok Chakra. A senior Rashtrapati Bhavan official told rediff.com, "All that I can tell you is that she has cleared the file and it has been sent to home ministry."
To thwart any aerial threat during the Commonwealth Games, about 150 personnel of the Delhi Police's Special Weapons and Tactics Team have been trained by the Indian Air Force and the National Security Guard to shoot down suspicious manned and unmanned "flying objects".
Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan on Wednesday said that he is deeply pained that a controversy has been raked up over his visit to slain National Security Guard commando Sandeep Unnikrishnan's house in Bangalore.Speaking in the state assembly, he said certain remarks were attributed to him and people have been misled by this.Achuthanandan made the statement in the Assembly during the Zero Hour, after the opposition United Democratic Front members raised the issue.
A hoarding an MNS leader posted in Mahim, north-central Mumbai, to mark the first anniversary of the 26/11 terror attacks, omits National Security Guard commandos Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan and Havaldar Gajendra Singh Bisht who lost their lives battling terrorists at the Taj Mahal hotel and Nariman House respectively.
The three Army men who were part of NSG's Operation Black Tornado, as the Mumbai anti-terrorist operation was codenamed, are Captain Ryan Chakravarty of Army Ladakh Scouts Regiment serving with 52 Special Action Group of the NSG, Capt Karamjeet Singh Yadav from Army's Regiment of Artillery ARTY/51 SAG, and Subedar S Anthony Samy of Corps of Engineers/Special Warfare School NSG.
How to conduct the mock exercise with active public participation of people was discussed threadbare at a high-level meeting chaired by Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan. Top civil and police officers of the country participated in the meeting, official sources said.
The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the death sentence of the three accused in connection with the Akshardham temple attack case of September 24, 2002 in which 34 persons, including two National Security Guard commandos were killed.
An ATS official and an NSG commando who came outside the Taj Mahal hotel for a breather told rediff.com that it is a do or die situation inside the hotel. "We have been firing, searching and retreating for a while as the terrorists go back into hiding," they said. "We have no option but to either kill them or capture them. The manner in which the terrorists are holding fort and retaliating, makes it clear that they are here only for destruction and nothing else."
More than 35 hours after the terrorists struck, there was a lull in Mumbai on Friday as National Security Guard commandos and security personnel closed in on Nariman House for a final assault and most of the residents chose to stay indoors.
Combat units of the Chhattisgarh police's District Reserve Guard (DRG), Special Task Force (STF) and Bastar Fighters were mobilised from different directions in the area on February 7, the official said.
Delhi is under high security with over 10,000 police personnel and hi-tech surveillance deployed for Independence Day celebrations.
"There are plans to provide helicopters for the mega city policing. So when mega city policing project is complete, mega cities will have helicopters," Chidambaram told reporters after inaugurating the first of the four hubs of elite National Security Guard commandoes in Mumbai.
Home Minister Shivraj Patil briefed the Union Cabinet on the terrorist attack in Ayodhya on Tuesday.
Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray criticised Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi's statement that the national security guards from North India were involved in vanquishing terrorists during 26/11, saying his remarks were an "insult" to martyrs who sacrificed their life while defending Mumbai.
This will be after over two decades that the 'black cat' commandos of the elite counter-terror force will be taken out from VIP protection duties, a task not originally charted for it when the force was conceptualised and raised in 1984.
K Unnikrishnan, father of the National Security Guard commando Major Sandeep who died fighting terrorists during the 26/11 terror attack, on Friday led a peace march in Mumbai in memory of those who were killed during the carnage two years ago.
The Centre will provide a close proximity cover of elite "Black Cat" commandos from the National Security Guard (NSG) to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad in the wake of threat perception from Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
K Unnikrishnan, father of 26/11 martyr National Security Guard commando Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, will embark on a unique bicycle journey from India Gate in New Delhi to the Gateway of India in Mumbai in memory of those who lost their lives during the horrific terror attacks.
The cowardly act of terrorism has not dented his strength. He will continue to visit Mumbai and like always, will stay at the Oberoi-Trident.
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