The state government is going to raise a special task force to fight Maoists in general and capture their leader Kishenji in particular.

Rajiv Kumar, head of the task force of Kolkata police that was raised to combat urban terrorism, will head the new force that will comprise commandos mainly from the STF of Kolkata police and personnel drawn from the state police.

Officers handling special cells of the Kolkata police and the state police on left-wing extremism will also join the force. “We need to raise the task force to tackle Maoists because it needs people with specialised training to take on them,” state DGP Bhupinder Singh today said.

In view of the attack on the Sankrail police station and subsequent hold-up of Delhi-Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express at Banstala in West Midnapore district, the state government has decided to enhance the security of major government buildings and other vital installations in the vulnerable areas of West Bengal.

“Yes, we have decided to enhance the security of government buildings in vulnerable areas,” Home Secretary Ardhendu Sen said. The measure is being taken to prevent further abductions and attacks by Maoists. We are taking the step after reviewing the latest security perception. We are enhancing security not only at government buildings, but at installations like banks, bridges, hospitals, railway tracks, to name a few,” the DGP said.

Meanwhile, a high-level meeting between railways and state officials was held at the Writers’ Buildings today to chalk out plans on how to enhance security of passenger trains and railway tracks.

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