OCTOPUS fine-tunes tactics after reviewing 18 mock drills

Key points

• 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.