First ATS Police Station to be opened in Bengaluru on Nov.1

Bengaluru:  Karnataka will soon have an exclusive Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) to curb terror activities in Bengaluru and throughout the State, said Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai yesterday. 

Addressing media persons after a review meeting with senior Police officers at Bengaluru City Police Commissioner’s office, Bommai said that the decision has been taken after National Investigation Agency (NIA) suspected the presence of at least 20 to 22 terror hideouts belonging to Bangladeshi terror group Jamat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) in Bengaluru and parts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

“There are anti-terrorism squads in Chennai, Mumbai and Delhi. Similar squads would be set up in Karnataka and officers who have worked on terrorism-related cases would be deployed. The first ATS Police Station will be opened in Bengaluru on Nov.1 this year,” he said.

Meanwhile, the State Government has instructed Police officials, especially in urban and coastal areas to be on high alert. Last Monday, NIA Inspector General Alok Mittal had announced that JMB, which had planned to spread its tentacles across India, especially in South India, had conducted a trial of rocket launchers in the Krishnagiri hills along the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border. 

NIA had also shared a list of 125 terror suspects who allegedly had close links with JMB, which has spread its activities in Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala and Bihar in the guise of Bangladeshi immigrants.

“Over 36 percent of total crime reported in the State was from Bengaluru and in an effort to curb terror activities, we have decided to set up ATS for which Finance Department has already given approval,” said Bommai.

ATS would work in tandem with NIA, he said and added that extra precautionary measures would be taken in secluded places prone to such activities. Bommai said security would be tightened in high-density areas like bus stands, malls, Railway Stations and markets.

The State Government has also decided to set up eight Cyber Crime-Economic Offences and Narcotics (CEN) Police Stations for which funds have already been sanctioned. Separate officials will be appointed to handle cases reported in CEN Police Stations.