Date:10/01/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/01/10/stories/2004011004111200.htm

National

West Bengal raising new commando force

By Marcus Dam

KOLKATA, JAN. 9. The West Bengal Government is raising its own force of commandos to tackle extremist outfits in different parts of the State. It is expected to become operational by the end of the year.

The State Director General of Police, Dinesh Vajpai, told The Hindu here that the new force would be called the `Indian Reserve Battalion.' "What has necessitated it is the growing realisation of the need for personnel with paramilitary training to combat extremist groups such as the Peoples' War [PW], the Maoist Communist Centre [MCC] and the Kamtapur Liberation Organisation [KLO] that are active in certain areas of the State," he said.

Even though the police believe that the KLO has suffered a "body-blow'' following the recent offensive against its operatives by the Royal Bhutan Army in its hideouts in that country, the presence of militants belonging to the PW and the MCC is of growing concern to the State Government. Mr. Vajpai said: "Training of constables and officers who will make up the 700-strong special force has begun. The Army was assisting in the training process. The headquarters of the force will be in Durgapur."

As the three districts of West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura, where both the PW and the MCC have their bases, share borders with Jharkhand and Orissa, senior officials of the three States are holding regular meetings for tackling the extremists in an effective and coordinated manner, toning up the intelligence network and stemming the inter-State movement of sophisticated arms and explosive devices including landmines, Mr. Vajpai said, adding that a similar force was being raised in some other States where there was militant activity.