SHILLONG, SEP 29: Meghalaya government has set up a dedicated anti-terror squad (ATS) to specifically deal with terrorism-related cases in the state.
Its temporary office was inaugurated at the Police Headquarters by the Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Monday in presence of Deputy Chief Minister in-charge Home (Police) Prestone Tynsong
Sangma also chaired the two-day Superintendents of Police and Commandants (SsP-COs) Conference which discussed various issues revolving around the need to further strengthening the police force in the state.
Addressing media persons after the meeting, Tynsong said that the ATS is a dedicated team headed by the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) and will be responsible for handling terror-related threats, including bomb threats and suspicious elements, within the state.
“The ATS is a separate cell that will take over and respond to terror threats, ensuring the safety and security of the state. The team has been specialized to deal with bomb threats and suspicious packages, and will immediately take care of such situations.”
When asked if the ATS is similar to the National Security Guard (NSG), Tynsong clarified that while the ATS is a dedicated team within the police headquarters, it is not necessarily equivalent to the NSG. However, the ATS will be equipped to tackle terror-related situations effectively.
Regarding manpower, Tynsong stated that the police department is currently managing with the existing personnel, but recruitment is underway to further strengthen the force. He assured that the process of recruitment is in its final stage and will help augment the manpower in the police department, including the ATS.
Adding to this, DIG Eastern Range Davies NR Marak said that the ATS will be a specialized agency that will encompass all activities related to terrorism, including operations, intelligence collection, and investigation.
Marak explained that while the police already have existing units that handle different aspects of policing, there is a need for a unified and specialized unit that can focus exclusively on terrorism.
“This has been mandated by MHA to set up a very focused and specific unit to look after all terrorism related matters, be it operations, be it intelligence collection, be it investigation etc. So, with this in mind we have set up this ATS which will specifically look into the very specific, I mean, cases of terrorism, be it investigation, be it operations, beat intelligence collection etc,” he said while adding “The ATS will have two units: one dedicated to jungle warfare and another for urban operations. The unit will be operational in the Garo Hills and will be equipped with specialized weapons, equipment, and training resources.”
Marak stated that the ATS will require different types of police personnel for various operational requirements. The unit will recruit personnel with specialized skills and training to effectively deal with terrorism-related cases.
The meeting saw presentations and discussions on several key topics, including cybercrime, new criminal laws, anti-infiltration efforts, and anti-narcotics initiatives.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Pankaj Kumar Rasgania, in charge of Cyber Crime, briefed the meeting on the functioning of the cybercrime branch.
Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister and other officials shared views on how to improve the cell. Additionally, AIG Law and Order GW Lyngdoh MPS updated the meeting on the implementation of new criminal laws passed by Parliament.
MGT Sangma, heading the Anti-Infiltration Directorate, presented details to Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and other officials.
The meeting discussed ways to strengthen the directorate’s functioning. The Anti-Narcotic Task Force (ANTF), supervised by Giri Prasad, also made a presentation on its efforts to eradicate narcotics from the state.
Tynsong informed that the meeting reviewed the functioning of the police headquarters, led by the Director General of Police (DGP), and discussed the pros and cons of police operations in different districts. The officials also discussed financial and manpower requirements, including the need for machines and vehicular support.
In a significant development, the Chief Minister also flagged off mobile forensic crime scene units for all 12 districts in Meghalaya.
Each unit is fully equipped to collect and analyze evidence.
“This is an achievement made by the government. I am sure with the flagging off of these units, the directorate of forensic to at least complete testing at the earliest possible and submit the report to the appropriate authorities,” Tynsong said.
Further, the deputy chief minister announced the government’s decision to further strengthen the Directorate of Prosecution.
“In fact, we already appointed a full fledged Director and then we need more manpower in the Directorate of Prosecution because this is the department where we need specialized people so that we can speed up all those pending cases and then it can ultimately come to a conclusion,” he stated.
By Our Reporter
