Mumbai's first responders

In first major signs of the Maharashtra government's Rs 120 crore attempt to modernise its Police force, an array of weapons and bullet proof vehicles were given to the Mumbai Police's Quick Response Team that will man the city and respond to every crisis situation.

The much-promised upgrade for the Mumbai Police is finally here. State of the art weapons have been imported from the US and Germany to arm and modernise a force that on 26/11 fought terrorists with lathis and .303 rifles.

"This is not the end of our preparation. We are going to change and add on to our capabilities. From 26/11 we have come a long way," said D Sivanandan, Mumbai Police Commissioner.

The Mumbai Police has drawn its fittest to form a Quick Response Team. Nine hundred specially trained men divided have been into five teams placed across the city.

The teams will be equipped with a range of weaponary: Smith and Wesson pistols, MP 9 tactical pistols, grenade launchers and bullet proof combat vehicles.

"All of them will receive double salary. We feel the Mumbai Police is ready to take on any type of attack. The Commissioner has also organised yoga to release stress and medical check-ups for all 43,000 people," said Jayant Patil, Home Minister.

"We need a force that is fit and healthy. So, we are training 300 wives on how to cook a proper diet for their husbands," said the Mumbai Police Commissioner.

With sophisticated guns, the Mumbai Police's antiquated armoury is going through a sea-change after 26/11. But they also realise: this is not enough. They need to have a force that's healthy in body, mind and spirit.