Bihar to have its own anti-terrorist squad

If matters work out as planned, Bihar may soon become the fourth State in the country after Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh to have its own anti-terrorist squad.

If matters work out as planned, Bihar may soon become the fourth State in the country after Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh to have its own anti-terrorist squad (ATS).

According to highly placed sources, the blueprint of the proposed ATS is ready. It has been prepared by the office of IG (Operations) SK Bhardwaj and submitted to the Home Department for evaluation.

The sources said the Bihar ATS has been modelled almost entirely on the ATS of Maharashtra that had played an active role during the November 26 terror attacks in Mumbai.

“If the blueprint is approved in its present form, the proposed ATS in Bihar will be equipped with same kind of the state-of-the-art weaponry as has been unveiled in the case of Maharashtra recently,” said an official.

As per the blueprint, the Bihar ATS will be headed by an officer of the rank of Inspector-General of Police (IGP). It will have two DIGs and four SP-rank officers.

“It has been proposed that there shall be several operational units within the ATS for simultaneous availability to deal with any emerging situation,” an officer told HT.

One of the lessons drawn from the 26/11 terror attack was that States ought to have their own ATS to deal with the kind of unprecedented situation that had presented itself in Mumbai late last year.

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