Shillong, Nov 13 (IANS): Meghalaya will soon raise a special task force to deal with the law and order issue in the state, besides tackling the burgeoning insurgency problem, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma announced Wednesday.
The announcement came while the chief minister was chairing the cabinet meeting which discussed the prevailing law and order situation following the recent killing of seven security personnel in the state.
The decision to raise the force was part of the government's resolution to re-strategise its fight against militancy.
"It has become necessary to re-strategise our efforts and also increase our support and investment to strengthen the police organisation," Sangma told journalists.
He said the state police department has been asked to formulate the proposal for setting up the force, after which the government would fast-track its sanctioning and establishment.
The task force, the size of a battalion, will take care of strengthening of intelligence gathering and combating militancy,
The need to raise the special force was felt on account of the sudden withdrawal of central paramilitary forces by the centre, the chief minister said, when elections or a law and order crisis erupted in any part of the country.
Meghalaya Police have raised six battalions, four of which are Indian Reserve Battalions. One of the battalions now is deployed at New Delhi.
"It is not possible to depend on the centre. There must be more investment to strengthen the internal security apparatus, and therefore, by establishing the special multi-task force, we would be in a better position to nip attempts to disrupt peace and harmony," Sangma said.
The centre has deployed Combat Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) commandos and Border Security Force to fight against the Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) in close coordination with Meghalaya's Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) commandos.
The GNLA, outlawed by the central government, forged an operational alliance with the United Liberation Front of Asom and the National Democratic Front of Bodoland, gaining access to arms and ammunition.