Anti-naxal force formed in Bellary, Karnataka

Anti-naxal force formed in Bellary
Friday October 6 2006 14:24 IST

BELLARY: To subdue and tackle the naxalite menace in Bellary district, the Police Department here, from Thursday, has initiated a well trained special force, equipped with special arms.

Anti-naxal Force is a 30 member squad, divided into three teams, will take serious note of the naxal movement in the district.

In an informal function at his office on Thursday, SP of Bellary Amrit Paul inaugurated the squad.

A senior officer in the Department told this paper that the main function of this squad was to curb growth of naxalite forces and to create awareness against naxal activities among the people.

He added that each team comprised of ten police staff, headed by a sub inspector. The entire squad staff comprises of only youngsters.

While selecting the staff, preference was given to their achievements and enthusiasm about the naxal activities.

Collecting information about naxal movement in district, creating awareness against the menace among the unemployed literates in the district and to brief various developmental works and projects of state and central governments to villagers are the other major functions of the squad.

These are additional works for the staff apart from their official duties, he added.

Recently they were sent to Bangalore to have 15 days commando training by KSRP trainers. Except fight against the explosives, ANF staff is well trained to face any encounter from anti naxal elements.

They are given special and commando type uniforms, binoculars, search lights, powerful torches, highly advanced arms and other essential weapons and materials.

Almost all weapons and materials have already been distributed to the staff. The squad needs Bullet Proof Jackets and some other highly advanced materials.

So proposals are sent for the same. Soon it will reach the squad, officer said. Talking to this paper Amrit Paul, SP, hoped that squad would curb naxal activities effectively in district. For mation of ANF was an old proposal.

But it has taken full shape now. Each team will work on rotation basis.

Training in yoga, meditation and personality development skill are given to the squad members. Now they have gained expertise in rock climbing and other arts. For them working in forest, hilly region is not big task, SP added.

Before the formation of ANF, an anti-naxal squad was operating in the district.

That squad, headed by inspector Rama Rao did its best achievements by breaking the back bone of hard-core naxalite Rangareddy, still the most wanted by Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh Police.

After the controversial developments, the then SP Pankaj Kumar Takur was transferred, and also the team was dissolved.

No efforts were made to strengthen anti-naxal team. In Bellary district hundreds of villages coming under 13 police stations are identified as naxal prone areas.