Developed by Shaolin expert Deepak Dubey, commando training is a blend of several unconventional offence and defence martial art techniques that have a steadily increasing list of admirers in the police force. After 22 police constables from Andheri and 150 police officials from Zone X successfully underwent the training, it is now the turn of those attached to 22 police stations in the West region.

Additional Commissioner of Police (Western Region) Archana Tyagi announced that she would soon organise a commando training workshop for those attached to the West region police stations. “The feedback that we have received from those who had participated in the training has been encouraging. Besides the physical benefits, the training has boosted their morale and also served to erase the distinction between ranks. Both the senior police officers and young constables were equally exposed to combat techniques,” said Tyagi.

She said that owing to the shortage of policewomen in the force, the workshops held so far had catered only to the male police personnel. “We are now planning to hold a specialised workshop for policewomen soon,” said Tyagi.

DCP Zone X KMM Prasanna stressed that commando training may soon become a trend. “The 26/11 was an eye-opener. It convinced us that our police officials need to be armed with not just weapons but also the skills to confront challenging situations — be it a law and order violation or a terrorist attack. Dubey’s commando training programme is based on principles of alertness, aggression and killing instinct,” he said.

Even as they stood in the scorching sun at the St Arnold School playground in MIDC on Friday, the sweat-streaked faces of the policemen wore expressions of unmasked pride. “At this age, when the body threatens to disobey the mind, I have learnt new combat mechanisms. For the first two days, my joints were sore but then Dubey taught me moves to relieve that pain as well. Even when I retire from the force, I intend to keep practising the moves that I have learnt,” said 55-year-old Jaspal Singh Ragi, senior police inspector.