The Hindu : Front Page : 750-strong special force to fight terror

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Monday, Dec 01, 2008
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750-strong special force to fight terror

S. Rajendran

The fully trained professional group will tackle all anti-national activities

Men selected for the special force will be given a one-step promotion
The selection process has commenced

Bangalore: Following the Mumbai terror attacks, the Karnataka Police are geared up to constitute a 750-strong comprehensive police wing to tackle all aspects of anti-national activities including terrorism and naxalism .

The special unit, which is stated to have received formal approval from Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa and Minister for Home V.S. Acharya, will have various components, including a section devoted to intelligence gathering and preventive measures, a large strike force and a section to investigate the cases. It will be a fully trained and professional force, and the State Government has also approved a scheme to put the strike force segment of the special wing through training in some of the Defence establishments. Karnataka already has a special commando force trained by the National Security Guards. The sources in the Government indicated that the men selected for the special force would be given a one-step promotion straightway to serve as an incentive. A similar incentive has been provided by the Government of Gujarat. The incentive would, however, be applicable as long as the men remained part of the force, and on repatriation to their parent unit “they will be back in the same position”. The selection process had commenced, they added.

A high-level team headed by the Home Minister and comprising among others Director-General and Inspector-General of Police R. Srikumar; Director-General of Police, Corps of Detectives, Ajai Kumar Singh; Joint Commissioner of Police, Bangalore, Gopal Hosur; and Superintendent of Police, Chitradurga district, Labhu Ram, recently visited Gujarat to study the practices in policing there. The State has also planned to send high-level police teams to Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, New Delhi and other States for a study.

Mr. Yeddyurappa said the State Government would provide all that the police required to strengthen the internal security mechanism. The Government is also contemplating strengthening the police force in urban areas, particularly Bangalore. For instance, the Hoysala squads will be doubled in Bangalore, from 100 to 200. “The Government provided additional funds of Rs. 25 crore recently and will provide more if required. We will give top priority for providing security to life and property of the people of the State. A free hand has been given to the police to plan and execute any modernisation scheme,” he said. Mr. Srikumar said that the new police wing would comprise among others the Anti-Naxal Force (ANF), the Internal Security Wing, a section of the intelligence wing dedicated to anti-national operations, the Coastal Security Police, and the Anti-terrorist Cell.

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