MUMBAI, APRIL 2 :In a clear indication of the seriousness with which the Naxalite threat is being viewed by Maharashtra, the state police is raising an elite force of specially trained men who would be provided with state-of-the-art technology and weapons to battle the Leftist extremists, Director General of Police A N Roy said on Wednesday.

The force is expected to be on the lines of similar units in Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh even though the level of Naxalite violence in Maharashtra is not the same.

“We are taking the Naxalite problem extremely seriously, and are putting in focused efforts to tackle it,” Roy told The Indian Express. “To this end, we are soon going to form a special crack team to deal with counter-Naxalite operations in affected parts of the state. Although, a proposal for forming such a team is under process, I can say that it will take off soon.”

“The need for such an initiative had been felt for some time now, and it is necessary to bolster the existing machinery that we have,” he said.

Maharashtra had planned a “special action group” for this purpose and recruited about 200 constables about a year ago. But it had failed to take off as no senior officers were appointed and the constables were just posted across police stations in the eastern districts.

“It will be a small yet elite operational group of men who would have received special training,” Roy said referring to the new force. “We are contemplating what rank of officer should head the team, as well as the men who should be chosen for the job. Operational details are being worked out at this stage,” he said, refusing to discuss details.

Fresh from a visit to Naxalite-affected areas of the state, Roy, who took over office as DGP last month, said he was also drafting a comprehensive plan to deal with Naxalism. Days after he took over, he said that fighting the Naxalites would be one of his top priorities. Roy said he had met families of victims of Naxalite violence as well as surrendered Naxalites during his trips.

“The tour of Naxalite-affected areas was something truly educational for me. Our men who have been posted in some of these areas are living under the most trying circumstances, and it was necessary for me to visit them,” the former Mumbai police commissioner said.

“This was the first time that a high ranking officer had visited some of the areas close to the Chhattisgarh border. We have now gained a clear understanding of the ground situation and a comprehensive plan to tackle the problem is being chalked out,” he said.

Although the Naxalite problem in Maharashtra is limited to a few pockets in the east of the state, intelligence agencies have been warning that the threat has not diminished and that the extremists could be trying to target urban areas such as Mumbai and Thane.

Naxalites are at present known to be active in five districts of eastern Maharashtra. But their presence is considered to be notable in only two districts bordering Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Authorities say that an estimated 240 extremists are known to be active in the worst affected Gadchiroli district alone.

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