Security drill conducted at Nellore railway station following Pahalgam Attack

Nellore (Andhra Pradesh) [India], May 9 (ANI): In Nellore district, acting on the instructions of the Nellore District SP and the Guntakal Railway SP, the Dog Squad, GRP team, and Santhapeta police personnel jointly conducted thorough inspections at Nellore Railway Station.

The checks included railway platforms, train coaches, and the parcel office.
Railway DSP Muralidhar said, "After the Pahalgam attack, we started checks at Nellore Railway Station, following instructions from the Director General of Police, AP, and the SRP of Guntakal. The local inspector, three town inspectors, and about 100 personnel from the GRP, RPF, and town police, along with the dog squad and BD team, were all involved in checking the station. We inspected every platform, train, and the entire station area. We divided into six teams to cover the area thoroughly, and checks were also carried out at stations in Gudur, Nellore, Kavali, Vongole, and Chirala. Local police helped by inspecting the areas around the stations, including hotels, lodges, and bus stands."

He further stated that , "Following these instructions, the Dog Squad, GRP team, and Santhapeta police conducted thorough inspections at Nellore Railway Station, covering platforms, train coaches, and the parcel office."
Railway DSP Muralidhar explained that this was a precautionary drill after the Pahalgam terrorist attack. Local police also supported the searches at and around the station.
Recently, Central Railway, in coordination with multiple security agencies, conducted a full-scale mock drill on Tuesday at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), reinforcing its state of readiness amid ongoing high alert across the country.
The drill involved the Railway Protection Force (RPF), Government Railway Police (GRP), Maharashtra Security Force (MSF), and Home Guards, all working jointly to ensure security protocols were rigorously followed.
"This is a joint operation by the RPF," said Ranjit Kumar Bezbaruah, Assistant Security Commissioner, RPF.
"We carry out daily checks and maintain a state of alertness at all times. However, considering the current situation and the alert across the country, we are being extra cautious," he added.
Bezbaruah confirmed that the security drill at CSMT included over 100 personnel from various security forces.
"Today, we have at least 100 personnel combined from the RPF and GRP, along with Home Guards and MSF. All of us are conducting thorough checks across the entire CST station," he said.
The team has been systematically screening every train and every passenger. "We are screening every train one by one, checking all passengers and their luggage properly. We've called in 22 dogs -- sniffer dogs -- and with both dogs, we will conduct screening and checks throughout the station. Thank you," he added.
Swapnil Nila, Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of Central Railway, explained that such rehearsals are a part of regular high-security protocols, especially at major transport hubs like CSMT.
"Considering how important the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus is, we always have the RPF, GRP, Home Guards, and other staff on constant alert. Strong security arrangements are always in place here," said Nila.
Union Home Ministry had asked several states to conduct mock drills to enhance Civil Defence effectiveness. The measures to be undertaken include operationalisation of Air Raid Warning Sirens and training of civilians, students, and others on Civil Defence aspects to protect themselves in the event of a hostile attack.
The primary objectives of the drills include assessing the effectiveness of air raid warning systems, operationalisation of hotline, radio communication links with IAF, testing functionality of control rooms and shadow rooms, training of civilians including students on civil defence aspects to protect themselves in the event of hostile attack and provision of crash blackout measures.
The objectives also include the provision of early camouflaging of vital installations, to verify the activation and response of Civil Defence Services including warden services, firefighting, rescue operations and depot management, assessing the implementation of crash blackout measures and evaluating the preparedness of evacuation plans and their execution.
Twenty-six people were killed in the terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22. The government has said that perpetrators will face severe punishment. (ANI)