Date:30/08/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/08/30/stories/2006083008921200.htm

National

Special anti-naxal force on the cards

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The meeting of the coordination centre on naxalite menace will be held here on Wednesday amidst reports that a special combat force of nearly 14,000 personnel would be raised to tackle in 13 States the internal security challenge to the country.

The proposed anti-naxalite force would comprise 9,000 personnel of the Central paramilitary and State police forces and 5,000 ex-servicemen trained in fighting terrorism and dealing with improvised explosive devices and mines. The force is currently undergoing training in specialised camps set up by the Army in Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh and other places, sources in the security establishment said.

Action plans

Sources said the Army was making available engineers trained in identifying IEDs, disposal of bombs, and using detectors and jammers for the force, which would be equipped with highly advanced weapons used by counter-insurgency forces elsewhere in the country. As many as 52 companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and India Reserve (IR) Battalions are also being trained to carry out anti-naxal tasks.

At Wednesday's meeting, to be chaired by Union Home Secretary V.K. Duggal, the focus is likely to be on discussion of action plans being implemented by States hit by naxal violence.