The Mumbai terror attack certainly seems to have shaken up the nation's security agencies. Recently, a batch of new paramilitary officers was trained by the elite National Security Guard (NSG) for situations like 26/11.

This is the first time that 82 paramilitary officers have been trained by NSG, especially in handling explosives.

Home ministry sources said a letter was sent to NSG to guide the recruits so that the paramilitary is better prepared to handle Mumbai-like situations. "We want these men to act as a back-up till trained commandos take control of the situation," a senior ministry official said.

He said the trainee officers were given a detailed presentation on the Mumbai attack and the steps taken by NSG to tackle the situation. "NSG specialises in handling explosives and it was important for these 82 officers to get an exposure to real situations, so that in case they have to handle a similar situation, they know what to do."

The officers who have been a part of peace-keeping missions and have seen Nato forces train have been also asked to improve their skills. "We are planning to carry out similar training sessions for other new officers as well because a number of paramilitary officers are already part of NSG and had taken part in the Mumbai operation," a senior officer said.

Gyan Varma/ DNA-Daily News & Analysis Source: 3D Syndication