Guwahati, March 3: The strategy group of the Unified Command has recommended the formation of a crack police team for Guwahati to counter insurgents.
The recommendation came after a meeting of the Unified Command’s strategy group today which was chaired by chief secretary P.K. Dutta and attended by top security officials, including state director-general of police Hare Krishna Deka and the GOC of Red Horns division Maj. Gen. Gaganjit Singh.
Drawn up on the lines of the Rapid Action Force, the crack team will be ready to move out “within minutes” of a rebel strike. The squad will also carry out certain exercises to sanitise the city.
A government spokesperson said the Cabinet will take up the issue during its next meeting. “In the meantime, the home department will discuss the proposal informally with the police top brass,” he said.
Review of security of vital installations, including oil refineries, topped the agenda of today’s meeting of the Unified Command.
The decision to formulate a new security strategy was taken in view of the recent mortar attack at Borjhar air force base. The Ulfa admitted it was involved in the raid. Two previous mortar attacks, in October and December last year, had set off security jitters.
The Central Industrial Security Force, alerted by intelligence reports that militants might target vital installations, has beefed up security of all oil depots and major airports in the Northeast.