Mangalore: DC Ponnuraj 'Held Hostage' in Mock Drill
Pics by Dayananda Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network
MANGALORE, Oct 23 (The Hindu): A mock drill on how to handle a situation when terrorists take a high official hostage, conducted at the Deputy Commissioner’s office here on Thursday, flummoxed many officials. Only a few officers, including Deputy Commissioner V. Ponnuraj and Superintendent of Police A.S Rao, knew about the drill in advance.
In the mock exercise, the building was taken over by terrorists and the Deputy Commissioner was taken hostage.
The intruders had blown up the lift and staircases, necessitating a different kind of evacuation. After the district officials “negotiated with the terrorists”, the Fire and Emergency Services Department brought Mr. Ponnuraj down from his third-floor office using a rope.
The entire effort was coordinated by the District Disaster Management Authority.