J&K government to raise anti-terror force

The People's Democratic Party-led coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir will soon raise a special force to deal with terrorism, Additional Director General, police headquarters, Rajan Bakshi, said on Friday.

The Union home ministry has approved a proposal from the state government in this regard, he said in Jammu.

To be called the J&K Voluntary Force, a unit of 500 personnel will be raised in the first phase.

The force will be raised from 22,000 special police officials and Village Defence Committee members, who are best suited for counter-insurgency operations, he said adding recruitment will be voluntary.

The personnel will be trained in jungle warfare for three months and a team of 5 to 10 people will be attached to police stations or district police in terrorism-prone areas during specific operation, Bakshi said.

The force will be under the command of superintendent of police in each district.