How the right words can save lives: ACP Shalini Sharma on lessons from Powai hostage case

In any hostage situation negotiation is the key and is as important as the operation itself In the Powai case the oneandahalfhour negotiation conducted by the Mumbai Police with the accused must have definitely helped the operation in a big wayrdquo ACP Shalini Sharma who was Mumbai Policersquos first trained negotiator told midday ACP Sharma who has been posted in Nagpur for the past two years continues to share her experience and expertise with young officersACP Shalini Sharma Mumbai Policersquos first trained negotiator trained by Scotland Yard File picldquoIn a hostage situation negotiation holds the same importance as the operation Through negotiation one can prevent untoward incidents counsel and persuade the accused to back down understand their demands and identify them It also supports the overall operational strategy and helps in understanding the psychology of the accused mdash which is the most vital part of negotiator trainingrdquo Sharma said ldquoEvery negotiation is about empathy patience and trust Whether itrsquos a terrorist a protester or a distressed citizen the goal remains the same mdash to save livesrdquo she added2611 to Scotland YardBack in 2008 the Mumbai Police had no trained negotiators During the 2611 terror attacks terrorists had taken several foreign nationals hostage and with no counsellors or negotiators in the police force handling the situation became extremely difficult Recognising this gap the force decided to send Sharma then an assistant police inspector serving as Mumbai Policersquos liaison officer with Interpol to London for specialised training Sharma was selected from among 12 officers by a panel headed by then Joint Commissioner of Police Crime Himanshu RoyPolice personnel keep vigil at the site in Powai where 17 people were rescued area after the man who had held them hostage succumbed to bullet injuries sustained during the operation PICPTIShe underwent a twomonth course in Hostage Negotiation and Crisis Management at New Scotland Yard London as part of the 124th batch and returned to Mumbai in May 2010 ldquoThe training was not limited to terrorrelated hostage cases it also covered domestic violence suicide prevention and emotional counselling The training is based on one simple principle mdash saving a liferdquo Sharma saidTraining Gen NextAfter returning Sharma began training other officers ldquoIn 2011 we used to conduct twoweek negotiation drills with a 14 to 15member teamrdquo she recalled Sharma also trained officers of the National Security Guard NSG and AntiTerrorism Squad ATS in 2014 and 2022 helping Mumbai Police build a pool of trained negotiators for crisesIn actionOver the years ACP Sharma has handled several lifethreatening situations through dialogue and patience In 2017 a 32yearold lawyer climbed to the 18th floor of an underconstruction building in Wadala threatening to jump to her death When initial police efforts failed Sharma was called in from Chembur around 1230 pm For nearly three hours she maintained a calm conversation with the woman finally persuading her to step away from the edge around 330 pmldquoThe woman was depressed because her marriage was not materialising and she felt hopeless Continuous counselling helped her open up and eventually she agreed to come downrdquo Sharma said The woman was later taken to KEM Hospital and reunited with her family In another case in 2012 a 17yearold girl in Kherwadi had locked herself on the terrace after a quarrel with a friend Sharma once again spent nearly three hours negotiating and managed to save her life Later during the Citizenship Amendment Act protests in Nagpada Sharma mediated with agitating groups convincing several protesters to end their sitin peacefully