Hyderabad, July 26: Commandos of the State anti-terror unit, Octopus, are getting ready to beat the nation’s enemies not only with their might but also their sight.Their uniform is being designed by the prestigious National Institute of Fashion Technology. While the objective of the outfit is to instil confidence among the personnel giving them a psychological edge over their adversaries, one can expect a touch of style too, coming as the design does, from a fashion school.
Top sources disclosed to Express that while the 250-odd commandos of the anti-terror wing are undergoing ‘hardening’ process (as is known in police parlance) at the AP Special Police battalions as part of their training, senior officials are busy checking some models sent in by fashion experts from the city-based NIFT.
“We approached NIFT recently and they have given us some designs to choose from. We will finalise it shortly,” the sources said. In all probability, they will be selecting either sky blue or dark blue dungarees for the commandos. “Uniforms of para-military forces or specialised wings do have an impact. We feel good uniforms instil a certain amount of confidence in the commandos and that is true of all forces across the world,” an official said.
After the design is finalised, the stitching part will be taken care of by the police department. The officials are looking at dungarees which have enough pouches for the men to keep extra ammunition, hand grenades, wireless sets and pistols among other gadgets. “We are trying to give it an altogether different look. Just like the elite National Security Guards, Octopus uniforms will be unique and any private security agency found to be wearing similar outfits will be liable for legal action,” the sources said.
The Octopus commandos will also have specially-designed shoes that allow quick and effortless movement with a good grip.
“A few designs have been given to them and once they finalise a model, a prototype will be made. It has to pass the functional test for final approval,” a source in NIFT told this paper. “NIFT will not charge for designing the dungaree but the police will have to spend for procuring several bundles of cloth and stitching, which will take place under the guidance of NIFT experts,” the source said.
NIFT contributed its expertise when outfits for the antinaxal force, Commando Battalions for Resolute Action (Co- BRA) were designed. It also designed the logo of AP Police which one can now see on the Khaki uniforms worn by the policemen. Besides designer dungarees, the Octopus commandos will be wearing bullet-proof jackets and, in all likelihood, will also be covering their faces, just like their counterparts in the NSG. They will also have specialised headgear to be worn in some situations.
If looks can kill, then the terrorists, who are out to target Andhra Pradesh, better watch out!
–Agencies–