OCTOPUS fine-tunes tactics after reviewing 18 mock drills

From room-clearing operations and hostage rescue procedures to the deployment of specialised equipment, Telangana Police’s elite anti-terror unit OCTOPUS has reviewed and refined its tactics after conducting 18 mock exercises at vulnerable locations in and around Hyderabad during the first five months of 2026.

The review was led by Anil Kumar, DGP (Operations), who oversees OCTOPUS and Greyhounds, at the OCTOPUS Commando Training Centre in Ibrahimpatnam on Friday (June 5, 2026). The meeting focused on lessons learnt from the mock exercises and measures taken to improve operational readiness.

Officials said six SWAT teams carried out the drills between January and May 2026 at a range of sensitive installations and vulnerable locations. Of the 18 exercises, 13 were conducted at top-category locations, one at a medium-category site and four at normal-category locations.

During the review, officers examined observations recorded during debriefing sessions held after each exercise. Particular attention was paid to tactical aspects such as searching and clearing rooms, rescue operations, movement of personnel, coordination among teams and the effective deployment of specialised equipment at critical stages of an operation.

Officials discussed shortcomings noticed during some of the drills and the corrective measures that have since been incorporated into training protocols. The exercise, police said, was aimed at ensuring that commandos are better prepared to respond swiftly and effectively during real-life emergencies, including terror attacks and hostage situations.

The review also provided an opportunity for commanders and trainers to assess evolving threats and continuously update operational procedures based on field experiences gathered during the exercises.

Police officials described the process as an important part of maintaining high levels of preparedness, with mock drills serving not only to test response capabilities but also to identify gaps and strengthen tactics through continuous learning.

The meeting was attended by Training Consultant Bharat Prasad, Superintendent of Police (Administration) M. Venkateswarlu, Additional Superintendent of Police (Operations) Ch. Raghunandan Rao, senior officers of the SWAT teams and members of the training staff.