Kerala Thunderbolts

Kerala Thunderbolts
Insignia of Kerala Thunderbolts
Active	2012 – present
Country	India
Agency	Kerala Police
Type	Police tactical unit
Role	Air assault Anti-irregular military Bodyguard Bomb disposal Clandestine operation Close-quarters battle Counterinsurgency Counterterrorism Crowd control Direct action Emergency management Force protection Hostage rescue Jungle warfare Law enforcement Long-range penetration Manhunt Mountain warfare Parachuting Patrolling Raiding Riot control Reconnaissance Search and rescue Special operations Special reconnaissance Tracking Urban warfare
Operations jurisdiction	Kerala
Part of	India Reserve Battalion (IRBn)
Headquarters	Thrissur [1]
Motto	Swift, Strong and Secure
Structure
Officers	200
Squads	Avengers (Urban Commandos) [2] Scorpions (Regular Wing)
Commanders
Current commander	Superintendent of Police (Operations)
Notables
Anniversaries	24 August

Kerala Thunderbolts is a police tactical unit of the Kerala Police under the India Reserve Battalion, set up in accordance with the Indian central government's directions post the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

The commando police force has been created to carry out anti-irregular military, apprehension of armed and dangerous criminals, counterinsurgency in Kerala, counter possible terror strikes, emergency management for search and rescue of disaster victims, executive protection, high-risk tactical law enforcement situations, hostage rescue, operating in difficult to access terrain especially in mountainous forest areas, long-range penetration, providing security in areas at risk of attack or terrorism in Kerala, support crowd control and riot control, and other tactical special operations.

The force modeled on the Special Protection Group and National Security Guard are trained to engage in air, water and land attacks. ^{[3] [4] [5] [6] [7]}

Operations

See also: Nilambur incident

A Thunderbolt team carried out a combing operation in the Malappuram district following reports of sighting of Maoist insurgents in February, 2013. ^[8] In March 2013, a 30-member Thunderbolt team was involved in a counterinsurgency combing operation in search of suspected Maoist insurgents in Kannur district in Kerala. On 6 December 2014, A gunfight broke out in a forest in Kerala's hilly Wayanad district between the Thunderbolt unit and the left-wing rebels (Maoist). It was the first direct encounter between police and Maoists in the history of Kerala and no casualties were reported. ^{[8] [9]}

Selection and training

The Commando police force consists of 2 companies of 160 personnel, who have been recruited after undergoing 2 years of rigorous and specialized training at various institutions around the country including Army's Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School, Mizoram. ^[10] Ex-Chief minister Oommen Chandy, announced the approval of the Central Government for raising a second battalion of 40 more personnel, in the wake of increased terrorist activity across India. ^[11] Thunderbolts commandos are being trained at Special Operations Group, an elite commando police force of the Kerala Police. ^[12]

The recruits, in the 18–21 age group, were selected after going through the Three Star Physical Efficiency Test and Endurance test, as specified by the Kerala Public Service Commission. The second stage training was completed at Commando School, Chennai, National Disaster Management School, Coimbatore, Counter insurgency and Anti Terrorism School, Silchar, National Adventure School, Munnar, Underwater Operation and Diving school, Kochi and Airborne Operation Air force School, New Delhi. ^[11]

Deployment

The commandos are known as "Thunderbolts" and are mostly used to battle Left Wing Extremism. They are deployed in various maoist insurgency affected districts in Kerala. Commandos are also stationed in major cities of Kozhikode, Kochi, and Thiruvananthapuram as "Avengers-The Urban Commandos," which are used in apprehension of armed and dangerous criminals, emergency scenarios like VIPs abductions or obstruction, hostage crisis, prison riot (if necessary), protection of senior executives of government agencies at risk of harm, providing security in areas at risk of attack or terrorism, and urban terrorism and insurgencies. ^[13] A third squad of commandos is tasked with protecting the chief minister of Kerala in the meantime.

See also

• Nilambur incident

References

1. "Thunderbolt Commandos Failed to Trace Maoists". Just Kerala. 28 October 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
2. "IRB unit of Kerala police bags national-level recognition". The Times of India. 20 January 2022.
3. "Thunder Bolts add feather to Kerala Police". Mathrubhumi. UNI. 14 August 2012. Archived from the original on 16 August 2012. Retrieved 3 September 2013.
4. "Kerala Thunder Bolts ready for action". Business Line. PTI. 13 August 2012. Retrieved 3 September 2013.
5. "Thunderbolts' training period will be added in service records: CM - The New Indian Express". www.newindianexpress.com. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
6. "IRB unit of Kerala police bags national-level recognition". The Times of India. 20 January 2022. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 28 April 2023.
7. "Kerala police mull Special Operational Group to counter Maoists - The New Indian Express". www.newindianexpress.com. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
8. "Kerala Timeline 2013". South Asia Terrorism Portal. Institute for Conflict Management. Retrieved 3 September 2013.
9. "Thunderbolt team begins hunt for Maoists in Western Ghats". The New Indian Express. Thrissur. Express News Service. 14 May 2013. Archived from the original on 23 December 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2013.
10. "Thunderbolt team set to go Hi-tech". The New Indian Express. Kochi. Express News Service. 27 May 2013. Archived from the original on 3 October 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2013.
11. "Kerala gets approval for 2nd battalion of Thunderbolts: CM". Chennai Online. 24 August 2012. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2013.
12. "Thunderbolts commandos of Kerala Police undergo anti-extremist training in Odisha".
13. "Kerala state forms Avengers to combat 'urban threats'". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 28 April 2023.