National Security Guard

Why is in news? Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah laid the foundation stone of Regional Hub of National Security Guard (NSG) and various development works of the Government of Gujarat in Gandhinagar today

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation laid the foundation stone of Regional Hub of National Security Guard (NSG) and various development works of the Government of Gujarat in Gandhinagar.

About NSG:

The National Security Guard (NSG), commonly known as Black Cats, is a counter-terrorism unit of India under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

It was founded on 16 October 1984, following Operation Blue Star, for combating terrorist activities and protects states against internal disturbances.

It was formalised in the Parliament of India under the National Security Guard Act, 1986. It is one of the seven Central Armed Police Forces of India.

It is a task-oriented Force and has two complementary elements in the form of the Special Action Group (SAG) comprising Army personnel and the Special Ranger Groups (SRG), comprising personnel drawn from the Central Armed Police Forces / State Police Forces.

Headquarters: New Delhi.

Motto: Sarvatra Sarvottama Suraksa.

The head of NSG, designated as Director General (DG), is selected by the Home Ministry. All the selected DGs have been officer from Indian Police Service (IPS).

Roles and functions:

Counter hijacking tasks on land, air and sea

Post blast investigation

Bomb disposal (search, detection & neutralisation of IEDs)

VIP security

Hostage rescue missions

Some of the major operations of the NSG include:

Operation Black Thunder (anti-Khalistani operation in the late eighties)

Operation Ashwamedh (Indian Airline hijack rescue mission in 1993)

Operation Vajra Shakti (Akshardham Temple, Gandhinagar, 2002)

Operation Black Tornado (26/11 Mumbai attacks, 2008)