Bengal considers forming Special Investigation Agency, Anti-Narcotics Task Force, and Anti-Terrorist Squad

KOLKATA: Bengal can become the first state to have a Special Investigation Agency (SIA) modelled on National Investigation Agency (NIA). The proposal was among several discussed at a law-and-order review meeting chaired by Union home minister Amit Shah and attended by CM Suvendu Adhikari, along with senior officials from the state and the Centre, in Kolkata on Sunday. Now, only Jammu & Kashmir, a Union Territory, has such an agency, which investigates terrorism-related offences and high-value counterfeit currency cases. It also serves as the UT’s nodal agency for coordination with NIA and central intelligence agencies. An official statement said the meeting at Soujanya, a state-run facility, also focused on taking steps to establish an Anti-Narcotics Task Force and an Anti-Terrorist Squad in the state.

It was decided that NIA would review all terrorism and UAPA cases reported from Bengal. Directives were issued to remove encroachments from govt land along the state’s border with Bangladesh, the govt statement read.

Proposals discussed at Shah's meeting

In another major policy decision, the meeting agreed to convert one-third of the security camps in areas formerly affected by Left-wing extremism into public service centres, enabling residents to access govt services more easily. Directives were issued to build capacity in the cybersecurity sector, hold regular NCORD (National Narcotics Coordination Portal) meetings to combat drug trafficking and formulate a comprehensive flood management plan for Kolkata. Shah stressed women’s safety in rural areas and directed the implementation of a ‘Women Outreach Programme’. He emphasised the need to empower women in rural areas through regular interactions with officials. Later, while addressing a gathering in New Town, Shah said the state govt is focusing on ensuring women’s safety, maintaining law and order and putting an end to infiltration from across the border. “I am in Kolkata for three days and I had a discussion with the CM, his cabinet ministers and administrative officials on these issues. The govt will take all necessary steps to maintain law and order, ensure women’s safety and security and stop infiltration through border areas. The CM will speak on these issues in the assembly,” Shah said. During the meeting at Soujanya, the Union home minister assured the state that adequate budgetary support would be provided for the modernisation of the police force and improvement of service delivery systems. A comprehensive review of the police force will be conducted to increase its strength in line with the national average and rationalise the number of police districts. The govt statement said the meeting emphasised the need to fill vacancies in the police force in a time-bound manner, review training capacity, prioritise recruitment of constables and gradually phase out reliance on civic volunteers. Capacity augmentation and development of state-of-the-art facilities for Bengal Police were also discussed at the meeting.